25,000 UAE students join after-school maths and coding program as parents fret over pandemic lost learning

DUBAI: More than 25,000 school children in the UAE have signed up for the pilot program of Cuemath, an after-school math and coding program backed by Google.
Cuemath’s online learning program was launched early this year in the UAE, and thousands of students have downloaded the application and online classes.
Demand among students in grades 3 to 7 has been especially strong, the company said in a statement.
The company recently received $40 million in funding, which it said will be utilized in bringing its curriculum to more students in the Emirates. It was backed by Google and Sequoia Capital.
Cuemath has taught over 200,000 students across 20 countries, including the US, UK, Singapore, Canada, Nigeria, Egypt, and Thailand.
Global demand for math and coding education has surged, the company said, with its program growing three times across its geographies.
The trend has been driven by a boom in the EdTech industry during the pandemic when millions of kids were forced to study at home.
“Education is transforming globally, as digital formats allow students to access education best practice from anywhere,” Manan Khurma, founder of Cuemath, said.
“The MEA EdTech and smart classroom market is forecast to double to $7.6 billion by 2027. The global market is many multiples of this,” he added.