Our History
Landing Image
Esol Education's story begins with its founder, Chairman and Superintendent, Walid Abushakra. Before establishing Esol, Mr. Abushakra spent his early career as an educator in Lebanon, teaching mathematics and physics at secondary level. By his early thirties he had become a school director and had co-authored two series of mathematics textbooks. In 1969, he assumed the directorship of Universal College - Aley in Lebanon, the school that would later become part of the Esol network.
Esol Education was formally established in 1976. The decades that followed brought steady growth: with Cairo in 1990, Cyprus in 1993, Abu Dhabi in 1995, Lebanon again in 2000, Dubai in 2005, Cairo again in 2009, Hong Kong in 2016, and Bahrain in 2020. Dunecrest American School and Fairgreen International School opened in Dubai in 2018. Each new school was built on the same founding principle: provide an outstanding international education to every student, in every community, without compromise.
In 2026, Esol Education marks 50 years of that commitment.
Follow the full story on the timeline below.
In 2026, Esol Education marks 50 years of that commitment.
Follow the full story on the timeline below.
Global Accreditations