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

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.

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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 FSM’s mission to share GEMS Education’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 support 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, said: “Our vision has always been to make world-class education accessible to as many students as possible. The launch of First School Management is a natural extension of this commitment, and this partnership with Spark Education Platform is the first of many. We are seeing strong global demand for our expertise and are excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to support schools in delivering outstanding education in diverse international contexts.”

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 education capacities.”

Ahmed Wahby, CEO of Spark Education Platform (SEP), said: “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 expertise 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 GEMS’ 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 schools’ 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.