Manama: Up to 28,859 Bahraini students are enrolled in private schools in the kingdom, while 16,784 foreigners attend government-run schools, the education minister has said.
Elementary schools top the list, followed by intermediate and high schools in both categories, Majed Al Nuaimi said in his response to questions by MP Adel Al Assoomi about the number of students in Bahrain schools.
“The number of Bahrainis in private elementary schools was 17,496 in 2014-2015, or 63.8 per cent of the total. The number in 2015-2016 went up to 18,494, representing 64 per cent of the total figures. The number of boys was 10,380 while the girls were 9,862,” Al Nuaimi said.
However, the numbers of Bahraini students went down in the intermediate and high schools to 6,188 and 4,351 respectively.
In the three levels, the number of boys was always higher to that of girls, the figures indicate.
According to the minister, Bahrain is home to 74 private schools, down from 76 in 2014-2015.
In the public schools, the number of foreigners in the elementary cycle was 9,969, (5,161 boys and 4,808 girls) representing 62 per cent of the total figure.
Al Nuaimi said that the figures include students who were born to Bahraini mothers and foreign fathers.
Bahrain, unlike some other countries, allows foreign students to attend government schools.
