Females excelling in higher education in Oman

Muscat: Women are excelling in private higher education institutions as more of them graduated from private colleges and universities during the 2014-2015 academic year, according to the Education Council’s Higher Education Report.
During the 2014-2015 academic year, 45,029 female students were enrolled in private colleges and universities, compared with 23,723 men.
Of the total, 5,475 females graduated during the last academic year, compared with 3,404 males graduating. However, according to data, only 211 females graduated from colleges and universities abroad, compared with 247 male graduates. Females also formed the majority of the students accepted for enrolment for the 2015-2016 academic year in private universities and colleges at 7,805 versus 1,906 men.
However, government institutions accepted a slightly higher number of male than female students, registered at 7,886 male students, as opposed to 6,690 females last year. 1,182 students received international scholarships, which comprised of 738 male students and 444 females.
“The ministry is working towards forging agreements and understanding with private sector establishments and companies to offer scholarships to Omani students to continue their studies with higher education institutions,” the Education Council noted in its report.
“This is being done through cooperation and building international and cultural relationships by the Ministry of Higher Education with neighbouring countries and international universities and by way of signing agreements and memoranda of understanding.
“The Sultanate is also offering international scholarships for Bachelor degrees in a wide variety of colleges,” the council added.