Dubai-based investment bank GFH Capital, a subsidiary of GFH Financial Group, has agreed to acquire a majority stake (80 per cent) in a leading private school valued at Dh200 million ($54.4 million) in the Emirate.

The school (the name of which has not been revealed) was established in 2004 and is located in close proximity to Sharjah. Over 1,600 international students are currently enrolled at the school and are educated in the British curriculum, said GFH.

Building on its strong reputation, the school has reported steady growth in enrolment year on year, a statement said.

Hisham Alrayes, managing director of GFH Capital, said: "We are delighted to grow our education portfolio with the acquisition of another leading private school in Dubai. The School provides education utilizing the high quality British curriculum for which we are seeing a significant rise in demand.”

“The need and willingness of parents to spend on world-class education, coupled with economic and population growth in Dubai, makes this sector and transaction an attractive one that is expected to provide GFH Capital and our co-investors with high yield and double digit returns,” he added.

GFH’s strategy is focused on investing in cash yielding opportunities in defensive sectors, such as education, that have sound growth potential. In May 2014, GFH Capital acquired a Dubai-based, American curriculum private school offering K-12 education to a student body of more than 1,300 pupils. – TradeArabia News Service