First School Management (FSM) by GEMS Education signs strategic partnership with Spark Education Platform (SEP) to launch GEMS-branded schools in KSA and Bahrain

(MENAFN- Four) DUBAI, 29 May 2025 - First School Management (FSM), the schools advisory initiative by GEMS Education, has signed its first intellectual property agreement with Spark Education Platform (SEP) to launch the GEMS brand in selected schools in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

SEP is one of the fastest growing K-12 regional school operators. Its portfolio comprises four schools with a capacity surpassing 10,000 students and targeting to grow to over 20 schools with 20,000 enrolled students spreading across KSA and the GCC over the coming five years.

It is owned by the Saudi Education Fund (SEF), which is managed by EFG Hermes, an EFG Holding company and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The partnership represents an important step in FS’’s mission to share GEMS Educat’on’s 66 years of expertise in delivering outstanding educational outcomes to around half a million students worldwide, who have graduated from its schools.

As part of the long-term contract, FSM will provide a focused suite of services under a licensing arrangement to suppo’t SEP’s operatorship of the GEMS-branded schools. The implementation of these services will play a crucial role in ensuring that the new schools adhere to the high standards synonymous with GEMS Education and safeguarding its long-standing global reputation.

Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education and the Varkey Foundation
Karim Moussa, Co-CEO of EFG Hermes, an EFG Holding company, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration,“commenting: “After our great success story in Egypt, I am honored to expand our partnership with First School Management into Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as key GCC markets with significant demand for new high-quality K-12 educat”on capacities.”

Ahmed Wahby, CEO of Spark Educati n Platform (SEP), said“strong>: “This partnership with First School Management and GEMS Education marks an exciting milestone in our mission to redefine educational excellence in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and beyond.

“By leveraging our expe’tise and GEMS Education’s global reputation, we are committed to delivering world-class learning experiences that empower students, inspire innovation, and elevate educational standards across the region. Together, we are not just building and transforming schools – we are shaping a brighter future of education."
The framework agreement between FSM and SEP reflects a shared commitment to excellence in education. It marks just the beginning of G’MS’ broader efforts to bring First School Management expertise to schools worldwide.

FSM, which launched in November 2024, is built upon the core values that have made GEMS Education a global leader in education. FSM mobilises multi-disciplinary teams of experts who provide hands-on support to schools, helping them navigate challenges and achieve operational success.

By combining international best practices with locally relevant strategies, FSM ensures that partner ’chools’ benefit from a wealth of knowledge gained over decades of experience from the family-run group, which was originated by two teachers and now teaches 200,000 students worldwide every day.

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