GEMS Reveals More Details On 'Teacher Share Scheme'

Last week the GEMS Group announced it would shortly be offering free shares to its 'long standing and high performing staff' to show their appreciation.

Named the 'Share our Future' programme, the company said it has set aside AED 100 million worth of shares for valued teachers in the region.

After numerous discussions with UAE based teachers, WhichSchoolAdvisor wanted more details about the programme, so we contacted GEMS directly to find out more...

Why is GEMS implementing the Share Our Future Programme?

Through the “Share Our Future”, GEMS Education would like to recognise our own committed teachers and staff who have been instrumental in building GEMS into the world’s leading educational organisation.

We hope they can now take genuine ‘owner’s pride’ in the institution they will now truly be a part of.  We hope their sense of ownership will invoke an even greater commitment to excellent student outcomes within the classroom and beyond.

Which teaching and staff roles are eligible for the ‘Share Our Future’ scheme?

The eligible employees for this scheme will be in one of the following roles:

Teaching staff

Teaching assistants

Education Leader (except Principal/CEO)

Non-Education staff

Support staff employed by business units under GEMS MENASA Holdings

What are the eligibility conditions for the scheme?

Staff and teachers who have a minimum of two years of continuous employment with a GEMS School as of 1st September 2015.

Teachers we spoke to were concerned that the programme might come at the expense of any current benefits, gratuity and/or salary, can you confirm these won’t be affected?

No, these won't  be affected. The ‘Share our Future’ is over and above the current benefits which the GEMS Education teaching staff receive.

What would you say to those who think the ‘Share Our Future Scheme’ is simply a 'PR exercise' and not of benefit to the majority of GEMS current or future staff?

At GEMS Education teachers matter, and the ‘Share Our Future’ programme is just part of how we recognise teachers both in the UAE and internationally.

This is the reason we closely support the Varkey Foundation, and their establishment of the Global Teacher Prize. It puts a spotlight on the importance of the teaching profession globally.

Through GEMS we strive to continuously celebrate our teachers. Here in the UAE, GEMS Education in partnership with the MOE to launch the Emirates Innovative Teacher award, to recognise the UAE’s most innovative Emirati teacher.