Education and Schools in Bahrain

Education in Bahrain is of a high standard. As a result of the ever-growing expat population, there are plenty of international schools in Bahrain to choose from. An official body known as the Bahrain Education and Training Quality Authority (BQA) provides regular reports and reviews on both public and private schools, including international schools.

Bahrain championed the Arabian Peninsula's first public education system in 1930. Today, the Kingdom boasts a high standard of education, with a literacy rate of approximately 96 percent.

Public schools in Bahrain

Education in Bahrain is compulsory for all children aged six to 14, and tuition at state schools is free. Textbooks, uniforms, lunches and school transport are also provided free of charge.

Despite these perks, expat children living in Bahrain rarely attend Bahraini public schools. This is for a number of reasons, such as the local language barrier, the typically transient nature of expats' stays in Bahrain, and the difficulty in overcoming local cultural norms.

While English is taught in Bahraini schools, the main language of instruction is a local dialect of Arabic. This puts non-native speakers at a significant disadvantage.

Private and international schools in Bahrain

Bahrain's private education sector is largely composed of international schools alongside a handful of religious private schools. Bahrain's international schools have been established to meet the needs of a growing expat population in Bahrain. There are dozens of schools for expats to choose from, but demand still outweighs supply. As a result, classes fill up quickly, so the application process should be started as soon as possible – even from abroad, prior to relocation.

Expats of a number of nationalities will be able to find an international school following the curriculum of their home country. This provides continuity in the child's education and limits the disruption caused by the move. There are several British and American schools to choose from, as well as schools offering other curricula, such as those of India and France. Some schools offer the world-renowned International Baccalaureate programme instead.

Generally speaking, standards at international schools in Bahrain are high, smaller class sizes are the norm, and most have modern facilities and healthy extracurricular programmes.

As is the case globally, tuition fees at international schools in Bahrain can be extremely high. It is therefore wise for expats to factor this expense into their employment contract when negotiating with their employer, ensuring their salary is high enough to adequately cover the costs of schooling.

For more info and a list of recommended schools, see International Schools in Bahrain.

Useful links

• School reviews by the BQA
• International Baccalaureate Schools in Bahrain

Homeschooling in Bahrain

It is possible for parents to homeschool their children while living in Bahrain, as there is no law against it. Many parents choose to enrol their children in a private school to ensure they're following a structured curriculum while learning at home. Alternatively, there are a number of academies, such as Teach Bahrain, that offer private teachers for full-time study at home. These academies follow various curricula, such as the International Baccalaureate and the British curriculum.

Special-needs education in Bahrain

The Kingdom of Bahrain is one of the first Middle Eastern countries to embrace inclusive education. The Ministry of Education's mission is to integrate as many special-needs children as possible into mainstream public and private schools, depending on the preferences of the parents. The ministry follows a continuous and comprehensive approach to ensure that students' requirements and individual needs are met.

Should a child require more support than what can be provided in a mainstream schooling setting, there are several dedicated special-needs schools in Bahrain.

Tutors in Bahrain

Tutors are widely available for children in Bahrain and are extremely useful in providing school support for all subjects, assisting children with learning Arabic, adjusting to their new school environment and curriculum, as well as test and exam preparation. If children are being educated in a language other than their home language, tutoring can be a great way to keep home-language skills sharp.

Useful links

• Teach Bahrain
• The Princeton Review