How Social-Emotional Learning is Reshaping Middle Eastern Education

Dr. Neil Hopkin, Director of Education of Fortes Education, explores SEL’s regional impact

In 2018, when the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) of Dubai launched its “Positive Education” initiative across 17 schools, many parents initially expressed scepticism. “There was resistance at first,” recalled Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, former Director General of KHDA, in a 2021 interview with Education Journal Middle East. “Parents would ask why we were focusing on wellbeing when they wanted academic excellence.” Three years later, the programme had expanded to over 100 schools, with parent satisfaction ratings increasing by 27 percent. Fortes Education at Sunmarke School and Regent International School, has long been at the forefront of this movement. In many ways, Fortes was the inspiration for this ambitious programme in the Middle East, as it was one of three global leaders in the “PosEd” movement, alongside Kellett School in Hong Kong and Geelong Grammar School in Australia, which originated the work under the founder of PosEd, Professor Martin Seligman. The transformation in thinking that emerged in Dubai, however presages a larger, more profound shift happening across Middle Eastern education systems—one that may redefine what we consider essential learning for the next generation.

The term “social-emotional learning” might sound like another ephemeral educational trend, but its roots run surprisingly deep in the region’s cultural heritage. The ancient Arabic concept of “adab”—encompassing ethics, manners, and intellectual pursuits—has always acknowledged that true wisdom encompasses both reason and emotion. What’s new isn’t the recognition that emotions matter in education; it’s the systematic, evidence-based approach to cultivating emotional intelligence that’s revolutionising classrooms from Cairo to Riyadh.

The Tipping Point

Educational innovations often follow predictable patterns of adoption. They begin with isolated champions, face institutional resistance, then suddenly, when certain conditions align, experience explosive growth. SEL in the Middle East reached its tipping point around 2019 when three critical factors converged.

First, a growing body of international research demonstrated that SEL programmes consistently improved academic outcomes by 11-13 per cent. For education ministries focused on international rankings, this data proved irresistible. Second, global youth mental health concerns skyrocketed, with studies showing 30 per cent of adolescents experiencing significant anxiety or depression. And third, forward-thinking economic reforms acknowledged that tomorrow’s workplace would demand precisely the skills that SEL develops: adaptability, collaboration, and emotional regulation.

What we’re witnessing isn’t a temporary adjustment but a fundamental recalibration of educational priorities. The region has realised that excelling in STEM and STEAM subjects alone won’t secure our children’s futures if they lack the emotional tools to navigate an increasingly complex world.

The Power of Weak Ties
The spread of SEL across Middle Eastern educational systems offers a fascinating case study in what sociologists call the strength of weak ties – how innovations often travel through unexpected connections rather than obvious channels.

Consider Jordan’s nationally acclaimed SEL programme, “Nashatati” (My Activities). Its origins trace not to education ministry mandates but to a collaboration between Jordan’s Ministry of Education and UNICEF, which were inspired by Finnish educational models. As documented in UNICEF’s 2021 impact report, this cross-cultural connection, nurtured at the 2018 International Conference on Education in Geneva, ultimately influenced hundreds of schools and thousands of students across Jordan. Similar stories have played out across the region, with informal professional networks often driving change more effectively than official directives.

Bahrain’s approach also proved particularly effective by leveraging these weak ties intentionally. Rather than imposing standardised SEL programmes, education officials identified twenty “connector schools” (institutions with diverse international partnerships) and empowered them to customise and implement SEL approaches suited to local contexts. These schools then became demonstration sites, hosting educators from across the country and region.

The Outlier Effect
Not all SEL initiatives have succeeded equally. The most effective programmes share surprising characteristics that contradict conventional wisdom about educational reform in the region.

Most notably, the most successful SEL implementations aren’t the most comprehensive or resource-intensive ones. Instead, they’re programmes that achieve “cultural resonance” – approaches that harmonise with existing values rather than appearing as imports. Schools that have explicitly connected SEL concepts to Islamic teachings about compassion and self-awareness, for instance, have seen greater parent buy-in and student engagement than those emphasising Western psychological frameworks alone.

Saudi Arabia’s education reform initiatives, including the broader “Tatweer” development programme, demonstrate efforts to modernise education while maintaining cultural authenticity. Educational researchers in the region, including those at institutions like King Saud University, have emphasised the importance of adapting rather than simply adopting international educational frameworks. This approach acknowledges that effective SEL implementation in the Middle East often requires thoughtful integration with existing cultural values and religious teachings. The Saudi experience indicates that educational innovations thrive best when they align with local contexts rather than being perceived as external impositions. 

The Way Forward
As SEL continues its ascent in Middle Eastern education, the question shifts from “whether” to implement these approaches to “how” to maximise their impact. The evidence suggests that success will depend not on wholesale adoption of external models but on thoughtful integration with existing educational philosophies and cultural strengths.

For students like those at Sunmarke School and Regent International School, where a comprehensive well-being curriculum has been implemented since 2016, the benefits are already apparent. We’re seeing improvements not just in student emotional regulation but in academic performance as well.  Our students now understand that emotional intelligence is equally valuable currency for the future. In the end, the rise of SEL across the Middle East doesn’t represent educational revolution so much as evolution, a natural progression toward a more holistic understanding of what it means to be truly educated in the 21st century.