Palms Sports secures AED600.5 million renewal to deliver national School Jiu-Jitsu Programme

Palms Sports PJSC has renewed its contract with the UAE Ministry of Education for three years from 1 September 2026, in a deal worth AED600.5 million to expand jiu-jitsu teaching across UAE schools.

National programme extended in AED600.5 million agreement

Palms Sports PJSC, a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC), has signed a three‑year renewal with the UAE Ministry of Education to continue delivering the School Jiu‑Jitsu Programme from 1 September 2026. Valued at AED600.5 million, the accord is the largest in Palms Sports’ corporate history and continues a long‑running partnership with the Ministry.

Under the terms of the renewed arrangement, Palms Sports will deploy 488 specialist jiu‑jitsu coaches to 279 participating schools nationwide. The programme will reach nearly 150,000 male and female students, offering structured training designed to develop both technical skills and wider personal attributes.

Beyond physical development

The School Jiu‑Jitsu Programme is presented by the Ministry as one of the UAE’s most significant school‑based sporting initiatives. In addition to the sporting curriculum, the programme emphasises character‑building values such as discipline, resilience, confidence, respect, commitment and teamwork — attributes the Ministry and Palms Sports say support the broader educational goals for young people across the country.

Palms Sports’ management described the renewal as recognition of the company’s role in integrating sport with education. The firm said the continuation provides stability for the initiative and enables a consistent coaching methodology, oversight of student safety and ongoing technical development across participating schools.

Operational continuity and standards

The three‑year renewal supplies continuity to a programme that has become an established component of the UAE school sports ecosystem. Palms Sports will be responsible for recruiting, training and deploying qualified coaching staff, and for maintaining delivery standards in coordination with Ministry officials.

The company framed the programme as more than athletic instruction, saying jiu‑jitsu contributes to students’ physical wellbeing while fostering personal qualities that support academic and social development. The renewal secures the programme’s operation at scale and confirms the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to embedding sport within school life.

The agreement was announced from Abu Dhabi and underscores the federal Ministry’s continued focus on expanding sport and physical education opportunities across the UAE.

Source: WAM