AlephYa Education (“AlephYa” or “Company”), a leading pan-GCC education provider, today announced a majority
investment from TA Associates (“TA”), a leading global private equity firm, to support its next
phase of growth. As part of the transaction, existing investors Gulf Investment Corporation
(“GIC”) and Oman International Development and Investment Company SAOG (“Ominvest”)
will retain a meaningful stake in the business, partnering closely with TA. Ashmore Investment
Saudi Arabia (“Ashmore”), an investor in AlephYa since 2017, will fully exit its investment in
the Company.
Founded in 2017, AlephYa has become a fast-expanding school platform committed to providing
high-quality, affordable education to local and expat families across the Middle East. The
Company’s network of schools offers a mix of American, British and local curricula designed to
empower students with the skills to become future leaders while retaining their national heritage.
Today, AlephYa owns and operates 13 schools across Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman, with a
combined enrollment of over 18,500 students.
“Since AlephYa’s founding only seven years ago, the Company has established a strong,
diversified platform driven by an impressive track record of M&A and operational excellence.
As experienced investors in the education space, we see great potential for AlephYa’s continued
expansion, both organically and through strategic acquisitions,” said Dhiraj Poddar, Managing
Director at TA. “We are thrilled to partner with the AlephYa team to achieve further scale and
bring high-quality, affordable education to more communities across the GCC,” added Vishal
Gupta, Director at TA.
“TA shares our commitment to academic excellence, and their investment provides a major
opportunity to enhance our educational infrastructure, improve our facilities and increase our
impact on new and existing students,” said Shailesh Doshi, CEO and Co-Founder of AlephYa.
“We are excited to welcome TA as an investor and look forward to leveraging their deep
expertise in scaling companies to reach our full potential,” added Nadeem Masud and Chandra
Tiwari, Co-Founders of AlephYa.
“Since investing in the Company in 2017, it has been a privilege to significantly scale AlephYa
working alongside Ominvest and GIC during a period of such transformational growth,”
commented Ibrahim Assem, Head of Private Equity, MENA at Ashmore Group plc. “We wish
AlephYa and its shareholders the best as they solidify its position as one of the largest school
groups in the region,” added Kartik Patel, Head of Alternatives at Ashmore Investment Saudi
Arabia.

“We believe AlephYa is well-positioned to sustain its rapid growth as the demand for accessible,
high-quality education continues to increase across the GCC. This transaction is part of GIC’s
strategy to partner with leading global firms and we look forward to the next chapter ahead in
partnership with TA,” said Mohammad Al-Fares, Head of Diversified Projects Division at GIC.
“We are pleased to welcome TA as a fellow investor in AlephYa. As knowledgeable investors in
the education sector, we are confident TA’s partnership will enable us to enhance AlephYa’s
offering and further strengthen its footprint. This investment is aligned with Ominvest’s Purpose
Statement of transforming businesses to enrich societies,” commented Badar Al Shanfari, Chief
investment Officer (Private Equity) at Ominvest.

In a move aimed at promoting childcare and teaching the distinct religious and cultural values, the
Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai [IACAD] announced the launch of “Al-
Freij Nursery” the first-its-kind nursery in the United Arab Emirates, at Umm Al-Sheif Islamic Cultural
Center, as part of IACAD’s commitment to activating all its centers to serve the residents of the
Emirate’s regions.

“Al-Freij Nursery”symbolizes a groundbreaking model for taking care of the UAE children through its
focus on the Arabic language with a distinctive UAE imprint and qualifying them based on well-studied
academic educational plans, by investing in UAE human resources, including “Al-Freij Mothers” of
mothers, female teachers and employees, to instill religious values and inherited UAE traditions and
culture in the hearts and souls of children.

For his part, His Excellency Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of IACAD, stressed that “Al-
Freij Nursery” reflects our deep commitment to raising a new generation on strong Arab, religious and
cultural foundations, noting that it is an important step towards promoting the Islamic values and the
UAE culture and instilling them in the children’s minds from a young age.

His Excellency said: “Through this initiative, we are committed to providing all-inclusive and large-
scale care for our children in line with the aspirations and traditions of our society, in addition to
involving “Al-Freij Mothers” in this initiative to activate their effective role in society, as we confirm that
their participation reflects an essential value as major contributions to enhancing the spirit of
cooperation and integration between generations.”

Hamda Al Mutaiwee, the initiative’s official, explained that the Al-Freij Nursery has distinct features
and characteristics that make it the most suitable for the people of Al-Freij. Among its priorities are
instilling the inherited UAE culture, customs and traditions, and it is managed by UAE personnel from
the “Al-Freij Mothers”. The nursery accommodates more than 40 children from UAE families, aged
between 1 and 4 years.

The nursery seeks to raise the young children according to the principles and teachings of our
religion, while providing an all-inclusive, inspiring educational environment that is compatible with the
authentic traditions and heritage of the UAE society, as it aims to prepare the children from their early
stages, to teach them Islamic values and the UAE culture in a way that ensures their proper and
sound upbringing.

“Al-Freij Nursery” represents a groundbreaking model for taking care of the children and raising them
on the Islamic and UAE values, and bears witness to IACAD’s unwavering commitment to developing
educational programs aimed at achieving comprehensive development and healthy growth for future
generations.

A recent survey has unveiled that parents
in the UAE anticipate between AED 250,000 and AED 600,000 in funding their children’s
higher education. Despite these significant costs, many parents are unprepared financially as
the survey revealed that 29% have yet to begin saving for their children’s university
education.
The survey by market research company YouGov, commissioned by Zurich International Life
(Zurich), part of Zurich Insurance Group, highlights a critical financial gap that could affect
the educational opportunities available to many children. With 63% of respondents
anticipating such high costs, the study calls attention to a significant financial responsibility
that many families aim to fulfil.
Reliance on traditional saving methods
Traditional saving methods still dominate in the region, with 77% of the 1,000 residents
surveyed opting for bank deposits, while 48% invest in shares. However, only a small
fraction (14%) of respondents are utilising education-specific savings plans, which are
designed to enhance growth and provide targeted benefits for educational expenses.
While conventional deposits offer safety, their typically lower returns may not be sufficient to
keep pace with the increasing costs of higher education. Education-focused savings plans,
which often include investments in growth-oriented funds, remain a more strategic approach.
These plans are designed to accumulate savings while also outpacing inflation, ensuring that
the value of savings does not diminish over time.
“While the substantial costs associated with higher education underscore the urgent need for
effective savings strategies, starting early and choosing the right education savings plan can
be a game-changer in helping parents save today for their children’s happily ever after," said
David Denton-Cardew, Head of Propositions, Zurich in the Middle East.
According to the survey, most parents believe allocating 6% to 20% of their monthly salary is
sufficient for education savings. The survey however emphasises that more effective and
affordable savings plans are needed. Empowering parents to give their children the best
chance at their dreams with a tailored education savings plan remains a sustainable strategy.
Value adding strategy
An overwhelming 87% of respondents expressed strong interest in education savings plans
that also offer life insurance cover. These dual-purpose plans help in accumulating funds for
education and provide a safety net that ensures financial security for the family, should the
worst happen.
As education costs soar, starting early, and exploring various savings options, including dual-
purpose plans, can offer a balance of growth and security.

“Having a well-structured education savings plan does more than just save money; it helps
grow your money through appropriate investment strategies and ensures the protection of that
investment. This strategy has some notable benefits including flexible payment options and
the ability to tailor the plan to meet individual financial goals. The substantial costs
associated with higher education underline the urgent need for effective savings strategies,”
noted David.
Parents could consider plans that offer tailored solutions, long-term growth and the added
peace of mind of life insurance cover to satisfy this goal. By adopting a strategic approach to
savings, parents can have better chances to achieve their children’s educational goals.