The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) may need around 11,600 new kindergartens and 116,000 additional educators by 2035, according to a study by Arthur D. Little (ADL). The findings highlight significant investment opportunities in early childhood education across the region.
The UAE is leading the GCC in preprimary education, with enrolment at around 82 per cent. This puts the country closer than its regional peers to achieving near-universal participation.
The GCC currently has an estimated 2.6 million children aged between three and five. ADL’s projections are based on a scenario in which the region aims to achieve near-universal enrolment by 2035.
The report also highlights that the challenge goes beyond accommodating a growing number of children. Around 94 per cent of the additional kindergarten capacity needed would address existing gaps in access and quality, rather than growth in the young population.