The small Arab state of Bahrain is an island kingdom in the Persian Gulf, known for the processing of crude oil from surrounding countries, as well as for its financial, commercial and communications services, and its burgeoning tourist destination. Due to its comparatively progressive nature and cosmopolitan inhabitants, education in Bahrain has developed an impressive reputation in a variety of ways. Check out these 10 facts about education in Bahrain:

10 Facts About Education in Bahrain

1. The first school opened more than 100 years ago. While education in Bahrain prior to the 20th century was based around the Quran, the first secular school for boys originated in 1919. According to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers Electronic Database for Global Education (AACRAO EDGE), the Committee of Education opened a second school for boys in 1926 and a public school for girls in 1928.
2. Bahrain has the oldest public education system in the Arabian Peninsula. Education in Bahrain expanded in 1932, when the government took control of the public education system due to financial difficulties with the Shaikh-led Committee of Education. With exponential growth in the following decades, education expanded across age groups, eventually becoming mandatory.
3. Education is compulsory. Beginning at age 6, children are required to attend school for nine years. Education in Bahrain can be private or religious; however, students may attend public primary, intermediate and secondary public schools for free. According to a study by the Lynch School of Education at Boston College (LSEBC), the primary and intermediate stages are broken into cycles: Cycle 1 (Grades 1 to 3), Cycle 2 (Grades 4 to 6) and Cycle 3 (Grades 6 to 9).
4. Secondary education in Bahrain is split into two tracks. Secondary education covers years 10 through 12. According to LSEBC, students can choose one of two tracks during this time: academic or technical/vocational. A World Bank report from 2023 found a 5.5% enrollment in the technical/vocational track, emphasizing the dominance of the academic path among students. Upon completion, students receive a certificate of completion similar to a high school diploma.
5. Education for girls leads the way for other countries. According to the Bahraini government, girls accounted for more than 50% of students completing primary, intermediate, secondary and post-secondary education in 2020. The enrollment of female students is approximately the same as male students. With public education in Bahrain being available for women since 1928, the island kingdom “ranks among the top five globally for girls outperforming boys in learning outcomes,” according to the World Economic Forum.
6. The government is encouraging post-secondary and adult education. After the completion of secondary school, students can go on to study at several colleges, including the University of Bahrain, Bahrain Polytechnic and Bahrain Teachers College. As for adults, the Bahraini government supports training initiatives and certification programs targeting leadership development and both public and private areas through the Labour Fund and the Institute of Public Administration.
7. Literacy Rates are some of the highest in the Persian Gulf. A 2023 World Bank report shows a 98% literacy rate in adults ages 15 and above. This means at least 98% of adults can read, write and understand a short passage about common life, compared to the U.S. literacy rate of 79%. Furthermore, Bahrain has the highest literacy rate among females in the Persian Gulf, according to Britannica.
8. Studies are STEAM-focused. The Bahraini government says the educational curriculum prioritizes “science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics” for students, using hands-on learning and creative problem-solving to develop real-world skills. Its site stated, “[Initiatives] include coding bootcamps, AI workshops, and national STEM competitions that offer students hands-on experience in developing AI models, programming, and building tech-based solutions.”
9. Exchange students and expats have opportunities locally and abroad. Due to Bahrain’s island location and prominent financial market, trade and travel have created a popular destination for expats. To accommodate the growing number of foreign students, Bahrain developed international schools. Following the curriculum of their home country, students are able to circumvent traditional obstacles such as language barriers and local cultural norms that may otherwise prevent them from enrollment or success. As for Bahraini students, exchange programs such as the U.S. government’s Student Leaders Program provide a year-long, three-part program that selects up to 64 Bahraini undergraduate and graduate students to study in the United States. According to the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain, “Students are placed in U.S. universities where they complete academic coursework, develop leadership and project management skills, and expand their understanding of civil society and participatory governance processes in the United States and MENA region.”
10. Room for improvement remains. According to a report from the World Bank Group, 37.7% of boys fail to achieve the minimum proficiency level at the end of primary school, nearly 18 percentage points higher than girls at 19.9%. With the World Bank defining learning poverty as “being unable to read and understand a short age-appropriate text by age 10,” the 30% learning poverty rate among all students provides education in Bahrain with plenty of room for improvement – a goal the country seems to already be pursuing.

Looking Ahead

These 10 facts about education in Bahrain shows a positive history of education in the country, although challenges exist. With continued attention to education, Bahrain should be able to mitigate those challenges in the future.

– Alexi Worley, Jacob Christopher

Photo: Flickr