Image courtesy: WAM/ For illustrative purposes
The UAE’s Ministry of Education has approved mandatory guidelines for the teaching of Arabic language, Islamic Studies, and Social Studies in private kindergartens across the country, the state news agency WAM reported.
The guidelines will come into effect from the 2025-2026 academic year and will apply to all private schools, regardless of curriculum.
The initiative seeks to strengthen national values from an early age, fostering a generation that is “proud of its national identity, proficient in its mother tongue, and well-grounded in the values of family, society, and the geography and environment of the UAE”.
The move aligns with the ministry’s vision of enhancing national identity by reinforcing the foundational teaching of Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Social Studies.
Developing children’s skills and instilling values
The ministry is focused on delivering specialised educational programmes aimed at developing children’s skills in reading, writing, and Emirati values, ensuring continuity in their academic growth in later stages.
To support consistent implementation, the ministry will provide instructional frameworks and clear learning outcomes for all three subjects to private schools before the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
The implementation phase will be supported by advisory visits to schools, and in collaboration with local education authorities, regular inspections will begin from the 2026-2027 academic year to monitor compliance.
Arabic language instruction for KG students now 200 minutes per week
Arabic language will be taught to all students daily, starting with 200 minutes per week (40 minutes per day), and increasing to 300 minutes per week (60 minutes per day) by the 2027-2028 academic year.
These lessons will be delivered by qualified early childhood teachers, using approved resources and age-appropriate methods, designed for both native and non-native Arabic speakers.
Islamic Studies will be taught to all Muslim kindergarten students in private schools for 90 minutes per week, structured as either three 30-minute sessions or two 45-minute sessions per week.
Social studies to incorporate concepts of family and environment
In addition, the authority has also signed off mandatory guidelines for teaching social studies in kindergarten.
Private schools must now incorporate concepts of family, UAE geography, environment, and social values into kindergarten education.
These will be delivered through a play-based learning approach, seamlessly integrated into students’ daily routines both inside and outside the classroom.
Read: UAE schools to introduce AI curriculum from kindergarten-grade 12
