Education body encourages development of standalone kindergartens

There is a significant demand for standalone kindergartens in the emirate of Abu Dhabi because nearly 18 per cent of all private school students are enrolled at the kindergarten level, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) announced in the capital today (December 12).

The education sector regulator, therefore called on private investors and school operators to develop and run institutions for children starting school. The announcement was made at a recent workshop for investors, which saw more than 60 attendees.

“The education sector in Abu Dhabi has witnessed sustainable growth in the past few years due to investors becoming more familiar with market needs. And student enrollment at private schools is expected to continue growing at an average rate of five percent each year,” said Dr Tareq Al Amiri, business development manager at Adec’s private schools and quality assurance division.

“So, our main aim is to keep investors updated, and guide them on what exactly is required to start up a new school or refurbish an existing one, especially since we now encourage standalone kindergarten schools,” he added.

There are currently 191 private schools in the emirate, and they enrol about 245,000 students between them. About 24.6 percent of private school students are Emirati at present, and 74.4 per percent are expatriates.

According to Adec, the kindergarten level currently enrols nearly 45,000 students. A number of private schools in Abu Dhabi serve only primary level students between the Grades of 1 and 5, and there are also quite a few nurseries. However, there are very few standalone kindergartens.

A number of schools, particularly those housed in non-purpose built facilities, shut down in the emirate over the last six-year, but 65 new institutions also opened their doors to fill the shortfall in the number of school seats. Students are educated under 14 different curricula that are on offer, including American, British, International Baccalaureate, Indian, Pakistani and UAE Ministry of Education.

Dr Al Amiri said this year, Adec’s workshop was designed exclusively for investors, and showcased particular investment opportunities.

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