Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The UAE Ministry of Education has extended a programme to promote Jiu-Jitsu among school students.
Palms Sports, a UAE-based sports management and training company, announced the renewal of its contract under which it will implement the School Jiu-Jitsu Program for a further three years, commencing on September 1, 2026.
The renewed contract is valued at Dh600.5 million, making it the largest contract by value in Palms Sports’ history, the company said in a statement.
Under the agreement, Palms Sports will deploy 488 specialised Jiu-Jitsu coaches across 279 schools, providing structured training to nearly 150,000 male and female students.
The programme is aimed not only at developing students’ physical and technical abilities in Jiu-Jitsu but also at promoting discipline, resilience, self-confidence, respect, commitment, and teamwork, the statement said.
Palms Sports said the three-year renewal would provide continuity to a programme that has become a significant part of the UAE’s school sports ecosystem. The company will continue to work with the Ministry of Education on coaching standards, student safety, and technical development across participating schools.
Fouad Darwish, CEO and Managing Director of Palms Sports, said the renewal reflected the UAE leadership’s emphasis on investing in young people and the Ministry of Education’s continued confidence in the company.
“The School Jiu-Jitsu Program is about much more than teaching a sport. It is about developing character, discipline, confidence and resilience from an early age,” Darwish said.
He said Palms Sports had seen the impact of Jiu-Jitsu on young people both physically and personally over the years and would continue contributing to the development of students through the programme.
The School Jiu-Jitsu Program was launched in 2011 across a small number of schools and has expanded steadily since then, according to Palms Sports website records. By the 2022-23 academic year, it was providing weekly training to more than 59,000 students across 125 schools.
In 2024, the programme was expanded across the Northern Emirates to 117 schools, while its Abu Dhabi component had grown to 153 schools, covering about 90% of schools in the emirate by the end of that year. Under the latest three-year contract, it will reach nearly 150,000 students across 279 schools.
Palms Sports, established in 2011, is a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC). Listed on the Growth Market of ADX, its market cap is Dh1.228 billion.
