Tunis:The UAE is at the forefront of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in terms of early childhood education participation, with preprimary enrollment reaching about 82%, according to new analysis from Arthur D. Little (ADL). This positions the UAE closest among GCC markets to achieving near-universal preprimary enrollment.
According to Emirates News Agency, ADL's findings are detailed in their new Viewpoint report, "From Cradle to Classroom Why early childhood education is a high-return opportunity and how GCC countries can seize it." The report suggests that although kindergarten participation is already advanced in the UAE, further expansion opportunities exist in the nursery years.
The report highlights that across the GCC, approximately 2.6 million children aged three to five are present. To achieve a near-universal 95% enrollment by 2035, the region would need around 11,600 new kindergartens and 116,000 additional kindergarten educators. Notably, about 94% of this need stems from current access and capacity requirements rather than a future increase in the number of young children. Saudi Arabia is projected to account for about three-quarters of the required kindergarten expansion.
Amr Kazimi, Principal at Arthur D. Little, noted that the UAE has already established a strong position in early childhood participation. He emphasized the opportunity to build on this foundation by improving quality and extending educational provision into the earliest years.
ADL's analysis suggests that expanding early childhood education beyond kindergarten could significantly increase opportunities. By targeting a 40% enrollment scenario in the currently underserved nursery segment, the requirement could rise to approximately 40,000 early childhood institutions and 224,000 educators across the GCC.
High-quality early childhood programs can yield what ADL describes as a "double return" strengthening future human capital and enabling more parents, particularly women, to participate in the workforce today. Research cited in the Viewpoint indicates that such programs can generate returns of about 13% per child per year, equating to approximately US$6 in benefits for every US$1 invested.
Yigit Saf, Partner at Arthur D. Little, asserted that early childhood education should be seen as economic infrastructure rather than a social cost. He stressed that investment now would enhance the capabilities of the generation that will drive future regional diversification and that accessible, high-quality childcare can support the region's ambitions for human-capital, nationalization, and increased female workforce participation.
The Viewpoint identifies three key areas needing attention workforce shortages, quality and regulation, and parental engagement. It calls for better coordination among education, healthcare, and labor policy, investment in educator quality, increased parental involvement, and the strategic use of AI-enabled learning and support tools.