GEMS School Management and Infinity Developments explore collaboration to advance education in Zanzibar
GEMS School Management (GSM), the advisory arm of GEMS Education, and Infinity Developments, a leading real estate group behind landmark residential and hospitality projects across East Africa, today announced plans to explore the establishment of a new international school in Zanzibar.
Scheduled to open in 2027, the school will be part of Infinity Hills, a mixed-use community featuring sustainable housing and modern infrastructure within the UNESCO heritage zone of Stone Town. The collaboration, which is non-binding, marks a major step toward advancing educational access and quality in Zanzibar, positioning GSM as a long-term partner in the region’s growth.
The proposed school will deliver international-standard education aligned with Zanzibar’s development goals, emphasizing digital innovation, STEM learning, and teacher training. GSM will bring GEMS Education’s 68-year legacy of academic excellence and its proprietary ASPIRE model, while Infinity Developments will contribute expertise in sustainable construction, master planning, and community integration.
Together, the partners aim to build a transformational learning environment and create capacity-building opportunities for local educators through leadership and training programs.
Robert Tarn CBE, Managing Director, GEMS School Management, said:
“We look forward to exploring this partnership with Infinity Developments, marking an important step in GSM’s expansion across Africa. Zanzibar offers a unique opportunity to extend access to high-quality education and support the government’s vision for an inclusive, future-ready school system.”
Samuel Saba, Founder and Chairman, Infinity Developments, added:
“Education is the foundation of every thriving community. Partnering with GSM allows us to bring that vision to life, creating a school that stands for excellence, sustainability, and opportunity at the heart of Infinity Hills.”
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to education-led community development and opens the door to future partnerships across Africa, where both organizations see growing opportunities to pair world-class schooling with visionary real estate projects.
This announcement outlines a potential collaboration between GEMS School Management (GSM) and Infinity Developments and is non-binding in nature, creating no legal or financial commitment by either party.
Background Information
GEMS Education
In 1959, two teachers, KS Varkey and his wife Mariamma, arrived in Dubai.
At the time, Dubai was a burgeoning trade centre on the Arabian Gulf. The Varkey family had left Kerala, India to seek a better life for their family. What they found was a real need to educate children arriving in the city from around the world.
Their son, Sunny, added a visionary’s ambition to a practitioner's experience. From simple roots in a family of teachers, GEMS Education, is today an international company with schools and education services across the Middle East. We still share the same mission - to provide a quality education to everyone.