Esol Education’s American School of Bahrain (ASB) has commenced enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year, offering children in Bahrain a top-tier international education within its state-of-the-art campus.

With an expansive 60,000 square meter campus catering to 1200 students, ASB will be home to one of the most advanced learning environments in Bahrain. Located in Wadi Al Buhair, near the Bahrain National Stadium, the premium K-12 American preparatory school is set to open its doors in September 2020 with a challenging standards-based US curriculum designed to meet the highest standards of international education,

ASB is a joint venture between Esol Education and Elm Education Fund (Elm), a Bahrain-based education platform, established by Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Elm establishes and co-invests in world-class educational institutions in partnership with leading global operators.

‘Local demand for high quality education continues to rise with private school enrolment growing at almost twice the rate of public school enrolment in recent years,’ explained HE Khalid Al Rumaihi, Mumtalakat CEO.

‘The American School of Bahrain is a promising venture for Elm and Mumtalakat as it addresses the changing needs of an ever-changing world, from the skills for tomorrow to quality academic and vocational education,’ he added.

ASB will be the newest addition to the Esol Education global family of schools, leveraging its 43-year track record of establishing and operating leading international schools, serving 10,000+ students.  

“American School of Bahrain will follow Esol Education’s longstanding tradition of providing an exceptional, holistic and challenging education. With the multiple pathways of the IB Diploma and American High School Diploma, our graduates are welcomed at leading universities around the globe, including Oxford, MIT, Harvard, NYU as well as the University of Toronto and McGill University. We look forward to providing these outstanding opportunities to the students of Bahrain,” said Dave McMaster, ASB’s Founding Director.

ASB is designed to facilitate innovation, academic excellence, international mindedness and happiness, fostering students who will be leaders within their communities and beyond. The school’s facilities include technology-enabled classrooms, STEAM Labs (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) and maker spaces. A multi-level library, equipped with the latest digital resources, will serve as a research space and learning hub, while art studios, music rooms and performance spaces build visual and performing arts skills. ASB’s sizeable athletics complex boasts excellent sporting facilities, with a swimming pool, large indoor gymnasium, basketball courts, regulation-sized soccer field and a 400-meter track.

“Over the past forty-three years we have built a strong reputation of educational excellence in the world of international education. The Esol Education schools enjoy the benefit of our longstanding relationships with accreditation partners, top universities, and teacher development and recruitment organizations,” shared Walid Abushakra, Esol Education’s Chairman and Superintendent.

“These connections, together with our experienced leadership teams, empower Esol schools to become leading centers of education in their communities, equipping our students with the essential skills they need to excel at top universities worldwide and in their chosen careers,” he added.

Established in 1976, Esol Education currently operates nine schools across five countries, and is the largest operator of international American schools in the world. The planned opening of the new school in Bahrain will be a major milestone for the organization, following closely after its entry into East Asia in 2016 with the opening of American School of Hong Kong (ASHK), as well as Dunecrest American School and Fairgreen International School in Dubai in 2018. Each Esol Education school is a close-knit community, bringing families together with the values of multiculturalism and dedication to helping students discover their individual talents.