Our Own High School, Al Warqa’a is a GEMS school created in 2005 as a single shift facility for boys of ‘Our Own English High School, Dubai’ which was established in Bastakiya in 1968. When the school was served an eviction notice in 1979 by the municipality, Mr. Sunny Varkey took charge and moved the campus to Karama. GEMS (Global Education Management Systems) is the biggest school operator in the world and it imparts K-12 education to over 100,000 children in 125 countries covering the GCC and Middle East, India, Europe, and Pacific and East Asia. In recognition of his progressive and invaluable contribution in the field of education the Chairman, Mr. Sunny Varkey, was presented a Padma Shri by the President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Patil.