Interview: Majed Bingirnas Almutairi, CEO, Almasar Education, on accreditation and the emerging market for special needs systems
How is demand for special-needs education and care evolving, and what are the most significant gaps in accessibility and qualified talent?
MAJED BINGIRNAS ALMUTAIRI: Demand for special-needs education and care in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC has surged as inclusive education becomes a national priority, driving greater need for early intervention, therapy and inclusive K-12 pathways. The segment still faces structural constraints, however. Regulations for private operators remain stringent and often misaligned with commercial realities, while funding caps for services have not kept pace with rising costs, limiting expansion and quality. These models are now being reviewed as governments move towards outcome-based oversight. Accessibility is another challenge. Most specialised services are concentrated in major cities, leaving families in secondary and rural areas with few options despite the need for frequent, multidisciplinary support.
Providers are trying to close this gap by opening smaller centres to improve reach and continuity of care. Talent remains a persistent shortage. Demand for therapists, special-needs educators and behavioural specialists continues to outstrip supply, and salary caps make recruitment and retention difficult, driving high turnover. Operators are responding with structured training for new graduates and technology systems that standardise practice. The segment also become an important avenue for workforce nationalisation, with more roles filled by Saudi nationals in line with broader employment and empowerment goals.
What models between K-12, rehabilitation and special-needs services are proving most effective?
ALMUTAIRI: The most effective models link early diagnosis, inclusive K-12 education, rehabilitation and specialised long-term care. Saudi Arabia is working to unify regulations so children move smoothly across these stages but early detection in mainstream schools remains the key determinant of outcomes. K-12 systems that work best use a tiered approach – classroom support for mild needs, small-group intervention for moderate cases and one-to-one therapy for individualised care. Specialised centres play a critical role for complex needs, offering multidisciplinary assessments and long-term pathways that range from reintegration into mainstream schools to vocational and independent-living tracks. Sustainability depends on deeper school-based inclusion supported by trained specialists, stronger data systems that standardise therapy, and enable more precise decisions and sustained public trust built through transparency and parent engagement.
Which trends are reshaping programme relevance, accreditation expectations and alignment with future labour-market needs?
ALMUTAIRI: Across the Gulf, private higher education is shifting towards fully accredited, market-aligned programmes that can attract both local and international students. Undergraduate degrees increasingly have to map directly to labour-market needs, while postgraduate programmes are expanding in high-demand fields such as engineering, business, IT, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Accreditation is now non-negotiable. Students expect qualifications that are globally portable so they can move between campuses, pursue further study abroad and enter global labour markets with confidence. This expectation is driving the growth of institutions with strong international recognition. Governments are enabling this transition by easing regulations on visas, accommodation and work rights to draw in foreign learners, exemplified by the Study Saudi Arabia initiative. The result is an education sector that is explicitly driven by outcome – universities must demonstrate that graduates are landing in positions that match their training. Maintaining relevance now depends on agility, continuous engagement with employers and tracking alumni outcomes to keep programmes tightly aligned with evolving market demand.
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