GEMS School Management (GSM) and Infinity Developments announced plans to explore establishing an international school in Zanzibar, marking the education advisory firm’s first venture into Africa.
The proposed school would open in 2027 within Infinity Hills, a mixed-use community in the UNESCO heritage zone of Stone Town. GSM serves as the advisory arm of GEMS Education, one of the world’s largest private kindergarten through grade 12 education providers.
The partnership announcement comes as Tanzania’s middle class is projected to grow from approximately 3.7 million people in 2020 to over 15 million by 2030. This demographic shift creates expanding demand for quality education options across East Africa.
The collaboration remains non-binding and creates no legal or financial commitment between the parties at this stage. However, both organizations expressed commitment to advancing educational access and quality in Zanzibar through this potential project.
Located within the Infinity Hills development, the proposed school would deliver the National Curriculum of England to students aged four through 18. Operations would begin with around 730 students, scaling up to 1,500 as enrollment grows over time.
At full capacity, the school is expected to generate over 100 jobs spanning teaching, leadership, and administrative positions. This employment creation aligns with broader community development goals for the Stone Town area.
The educational approach would emphasize digital innovation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning, plus teacher training programs. GSM plans to bring GEMS Education’s 68 year legacy of academic excellence along with its proprietary ASPIRE model for school development.
Infinity Developments would contribute expertise in sustainable construction, master planning, and community integration to the partnership. The real estate group operates as a subsidiary of Infinity Group, a Dubai based investment company with over 500 million US dollars worth of launched projects in Zanzibar and Tanzania.
Robert Tarn CBE, Managing Director of GSM, described Zanzibar as offering a unique opportunity to extend access to high quality education. He emphasized the project’s alignment with government vision for an inclusive, future ready school system.
Samuel Saba, Founder and Chairman of Infinity Developments, called education the foundation of every thriving community. He stated the partnership would create a school standing for excellence, sustainability, and opportunity at the heart of Infinity Hills.
The ASPIRE model represents an all in one framework for designing, opening and elevating schools. It bundles six essential pillars into what GSM describes as a school in a box solution, covering everything from curriculum planning to technology integration and operational systems.
GEMS Education currently educates more than 200,000 students from 176 nationalities across its global network of owned and managed schools. The organization was established in Dubai in 1959 and remains family founded and family led under chairman Sunny Varkey and his sons.
Infinity Developments has established presence in East Africa through landmark projects including Anantara Resort and Residences Zanzibar, Old Fort restoration, Zanzibar Museum, and Africa House Garden restoration. The company focuses on luxury and sustainable community driven developments.
GSM is currently in advanced discussions across eight international markets, supporting partners to build and operate schools meeting international standards. This Zanzibar project represents part of a broader expansion strategy across the African continent.
The collaboration reflects shared commitment to education led community development and opens doors to future partnerships across Africa. Both organizations identified growing opportunities to pair world class schooling with visionary real estate projects throughout the region.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
