Maarif Education
Saudi Arabian private school operator established in 1971, with ten campuses under brands such as Manarat, Ibn Khaldun and Green Hills. GEMS Education KSA and Hassana acquired it in 2019.
Industry: Private K-12 education | Location: Saudi Arabia | Founded: 1971
About Maarif Education
Maarif Education is a Saudi Arabian company that owns and operates private schools. Its website lists campuses in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah, Al Khobar and Dhahran and says the company runs ten educational campuses across the Kingdom. The schools trade under several brands, including Manarat, Ibn Khaldun Schools, Al Faisaliah Islamic Schools, Noor Al Islam National, Green Hills International, Sherborne Jeddah and Ajyal International Schools, many with separate national and international tracks.
The company says it was established in 1971. Its chairman is H.E. Dr. Husam Zaman and its vice chairman is Isam Al-Muhaideb. A September 2026 announcement of a partnership with Brighton College names Ihab Othman as chief executive.
Its website lists PowerSchool as a learning management partner, the American University of Sharjah for graduate support programmes, and Lausanne Learning for the management of Ajyal Schools. Sherborne, represented by Sharaka Education, is its partner for a school in Jeddah. The company states that it was the first school system in Saudi Arabia accredited by Cognia, with an institutional effectiveness score of 322, later 335 on re-accreditation.
GEMS Education KSA, a joint venture between Dubai-based GEMS Education and Hassana Investment Company, the investment arm of the General Organisation for Social Insurance, announced an agreement to acquire Maarif on 30 May 2019 and completed the acquisition in August 2019. Coverage at the time described more than 13 campuses and more than 20,000 students, and the buyers aimed to build a network of more than 50 schools. The price was not disclosed. TechScoop reported in July 2026 that EFG Hermes advised Maarif on its acquisition of Ibn Khaldoun Education Company.
In September 2026 Maarif announced a five-year licensing agreement with Oracle to upgrade its digital infrastructure. On 22 September 2026 it announced a partnership with Brighton College, under which the first Brighton College Riyadh is due to open in 2028 and a second school in 2030. On 4 October 2026 it announced a partnership with Mdares AI, a platform that lists private and international schools in Saudi Arabia. The sources read do not state current ownership percentages.
Leadership
- Isam Al-Muhaideb, Vice Chairman
- Ihab Othman, Chief Executive Officer