OMAN’s Education System: CBSE | AISSE | AISSCE

Education and training play a critical role in Oman’s long-term development goals as they evolve swiftly over time. The Sultanate of Oman has stated that they plan to sustain the progress made thus far and further increase and improve the quality and efficiency of education in the country. The efforts made are reflected in the literacy rates of the country. Between 2008 and 2012, UNICEF recorded a literacy rate of above 97% among youths (15-24 years).

A Brief History of Oman’s Education System

In 1970, there were only three schools with approx 900 students from the entire country. Before 1970, there was no formal education system in Oman. Education was limited to Islamic studies done in Quranic schools and mosque education groups. The main study topics were Islamic principles, the Arabic language, and mathematics. Oman’s national educational program grew substantially between the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1986, Sultan Qabus University (near Muscat), the country’s first public university, began accepting students. By the late 1980s, there were approximately 275,000 students enrolled in roughly 700 schools. In 1998, 313,516 students attended about 411 primary schools, with 12,052 teaching community members.

In 2006–2007, about 560,000 students were enrolled in 1053 public schools, and about 20,000 were enrolled in private schools. Moreover, in 2006, approximately 13,500 students studied at Sultan Qaboos University.

Despite the odds, the fight for a more educated populace is paying dividends in Oman. The Ministry of Higher Education has gone the extra mile to enhance Oman’s educational system.

Oman’s Current Education System

• Nowadays, Oman’s education system is growing at a staggering pace. Currently, there are two types of schools in Oman – public schools and private schools.
• Currently, about 1,130 public schools cater to 600,000 students, and 640 private schools, including international schools, cater to 148,464 students.
• These international schools mainly cater to expatriate students from the US, UK, France, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and follow different curricula (e.g., American, British, French, International Baccalaureate, and Indian – CBSE curriculum Oman).
• Oman’s education system is divided into basic and secondary (post-basic) education. Basic education is further divided into two levels.

• Nursery enrolment is extremely low, with only 1% of children enrolled. Kindergarten is largely provided in large cities, with a 15 per cent participation rate.
• After completing basic education, students can either choose to work or continue their studies in secondary school.
• In Oman, education is free until the secondary level, but it is not compulsory and hence not enforced.
• Almost all the public schools are gender-segregated, starting from the second cycle of basic education and mostly cater to Omani students, thus following Arabic and Islamic curricula.
• At the secondary level, students have the option to attain core expertise in an area of study, such as science, and have electives for the subject of interest, and alternatively, they can join vocational training institutes.
• Unlike public schools, private and international schools in Oman are usually co-educational.

Post-Secondary or Higher Education System in Oman

The Ministry of Higher Education is in charge of licensing and regulating public and private colleges and universities and ensuring that all institutions fulfil international standards and contribute to government goals. In Oman, a bachelor’s degree takes around five years to complete, with the first year allocated to English, the second to appropriate science disciplines, and the remaining three years devoted to core degree units. A medical degree takes seven years to complete. Omanis are the only ones who go to public universities. In general, expatriates attend private universities or study abroad.

CBSE Oman

CBSE stands for Central Board of Secondary Education– is the front-runner education board established & run by the Government of India. It is the most preferred curriculum for Indian expatriates in Oman.

Just like in India, CBSE is responsible for conducting two board examinations every year for grades 10th & 12th in addition to prescribing exam conditions, patterns, duration and issuing qualifying certificates to all the qualified candidates via schools in Oman as well.

The two examinations conducted by CBSE Oman are AISSE (All India Secondary School Examination) for grade 10th & AISSCE (All India Senior School Certificate Examination) for grade 12th.

As a part of CBSE’s recently-introduced Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) program, the board administers the AISSE during March and April.

AISSE Oman

The AISSE School Completion Certificate, Marksheet, and Migration Certificate are given to successful candidates to continue their future education.

The exams cover five subjects, including English, a Language (Native or Foreign), Sciences, Mathematics, and Social Sciences, each contributing 100 marks, totalling 500 marks. The score helps students determine their stream – Science, Commerce, or Arts/ Humanities.

AISSCE Oman

The All India Senior School Certificate Examination is a higher qualification exam pursued by CBSE students. AISSCE scores are accessed by Universities while deciding whether or not to admit students to various degree programs.

CBSE Syllabus Oman

All the CBSE-affiliated schools in Oman are instructed to follow the prescribed NCERT syllabus.

CBSE Oman students are eligible to appear for various national and international Olympiads. Science stream students are eligible for competitive exams like IIT-JEE (Mains + Advanced) & NEET-UG. Upon successful qualification, based on their marks & cut-offs, they can pursue higher studies in reputed institutes, universities, and colleges of their choice across India and abroad. Both NEET and JEE exams have examination centres in Oman for students to take exams near their homes.

The education system in Oman indicates the popularity of the CBSE-based Indian curriculum. If you are an NRI student residing in Oman and preparing for various competitive exams like IIT-JEE, NEET-UG, or Olympiads, then ALLEN Overseas is the leading coaching institute that provides 360-degree academic support to help you achieve your dream success. With our interactive hybrid classroom program, you can start your academic journey towards excellence under the mentorship of the most-skilled edu-experts of ALLEN Overseas. For any queries, comments, or doubts, get in touch with us, and we’ll gladly assist you.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What percentage of Oman’s population is educated?

A: Last measured, Oman’s literacy rate for people aged 15 or above was 96%.

Q: What are the school timings in Oman?

A: School timings vary depending on the school, curriculum and grade, but the general timings are between 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Sunday to Thursday.

Q: How long is the summer break in Oman?

A: In Oman, the summer break extends for three months, from late May to early September. However, it can vary depending on the school and curricula.

Q: Are phones allowed in Oman’s schools?

A: No, mobile phone usage is prohibited in Oman schools.

Q: Are the board exam paper is same for Indian and NRI students residing in Oman?

A: No, though the paper pattern, marking scheme, exam syllabus and the difficulty level is the same, CBSE provides a different set of question papers for NRI/ Overseas students.