KHDA Logs 15% Increase In Children Attending Dubai Early Childhood Centers

Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has revealed that more parents are choosing to send their children to early childhood centers in Dubai, noting a 15% increase this academic year.

Behind this growth is parents' eagerness to give their kids a better headstart, as per the government authority.

Dubai has nearly 250 early childhood centers, 27 of which started operating in the last 12 months. These centers handle more than 23,500 children — a number that is 3,000 higher than that of the previous academic year.

Abdulla Al Karam, director-general of KHDA, explained that early childhood centers are not just focusing on children's current stage but also their futures, as they are about to be innovators and changemakers.

"Just as they nurture children to live, learn and thrive in a city and world that is constantly evolving, they also nurture the growth and prosperity of Dubai," Al Karam said, according to WAM.

"The enrolment growth we have seen in the past year is a clear indication of the effort centers have made to improve quality, and of the trust that parents have placed in early childhood centers to provide children with rich learning experiences," he added.

Al Karam went on to thank early childhood center managers and teachers for ensuring a happy and safe start to children's educational journey. "The foundations they provide lead to more cohesive communities, a stronger economy and a more prosperous future for all," he added.

These early childhood centers offer diversity, as parents can choose from 14 different curricula and learning approaches with Arabic, English, French, Spanish or Russian, among others, as the main language of instruction.

The majority of these centers have children enrolling from 20 different countries, while some consist of 41 different nationalities. As for the age group of the students, 66% of them are 2 to 4 years old. Moreover, almost 80% of these children attend the centers five days per week.

To curb the haphazard practices in the education sector, the United Arab Emirates introduced a new Private Teacher Work Permit last month. Those who are eligible to secure this permit can submit their request via the MoHRE smart application, website and e-services system. It will be provided free of charge for two years, allowing qualified individuals to offer private lessons and earn direct income.