FAQs About Arabic Provision in Early Childhood Care and Education Settings

This policy aims to achieve several key objectives in the field of Arabic language learning in early childhood, which are as follows:

• Strengthening Arabic language acquisition and development in early childhood education, ensuring children build strong foundational language skills from a young age.
• Establishing a strong Arabic language programme in early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings to meet the needs of children, parents, teachers, and leaders, ensuring the effective development of Arabic language skills.
• Enhancing the quality of outcomes and curricula,  promoting multilingualism to support children's cognitive and cultural development.
• Providing opportunities for children to develop their Arabic language skills from an early age, helping Emirati and Arabic-speaking children learn Arabic as their mother tongue.
• Improving the linguistic abilities and multilingual learning capacities of non-Arabic-speaking children, regardless of their native language, contributing to the development of global citizenship skills.
• Aligning with Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy  and related policies, which aim to enhance Arabic language learning and development during early childhood.

The policy applies to all KHDA-licensed institutions that provide early childhood care and education services for children from birth to six years old. This includes private schools and early childhood centres in Dubai.

The policy will be implemented in phases, with the first phase starting in September 2025 (April 2026 for schools following the April-to-March academic calendar). This phase will cover services for children aged four to six years, corresponding to the pre-primary education stage.

The first phase will be evaluated after two years, and subsequent phases and requirements for each age group will be announced based on the results of the initial phase.

No, the policy targets all children in private schools and early childhood centres in Dubai, including both Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic-speaking children.

The policy targets children from birth to six years old.

• Offer an Arabic language program that fosters a love for the language while developing foundational skills through a comprehensive play and inquiry-based approach. Adhere to KHDA guidelines for curriculum design.
• Ensure the recruitment of qualified and passionate Arabic language teachers and allocate sufficient time for them to interact with children and design engaging, enjoyable activities, with each Arabic teacher spending at least one-third of the weekly instructional time with children.

KHDA recognises the different linguistic models applied in Dubai's private schools and early childhood centres. Curriculum design guidelines will be adapted to suit the demographic composition of students and the different implemented curricula.

However, the policy will establish unified expectations across all schools and early childhood centres that will distinguish the requirements for Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic-speaking students.

Schools and early childhood centres will have the flexibility to choose the right teaching strategies in alignment with their own setting curriculum to meet these expectations.

• Children learn best through meaningful conversations, , and through asking their own non-ending questions. This approach helps build their vocabulary and develop their communication, language, and social skills.
• The main approach for teaching Arabic should involve exploration, play, and sensory experiences. Children engage well with stories, imaginative play, and visual cues like pictures and books.
• Children develop their Arabic language skills through meaningful interactions with parents and peers.

Schools and early childhood centres must comply with the current KHDA requirements for hiring teachers, as outlined on the KHDA website.

KHDA encourages hiring teachers who are passionate about teaching Arabic and who speak standard Arabic fluently, following correct linguistic rules. This is particularly important in the early childhood stage, as children absorb language rules subconsciously through listening.