Abu Dhabi expands Al Ghad Nurseries to 12,000 seats by 2029

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is expanding Al Ghad Nurseries across the emirate, increasing capacity to 12,000 seats by 2029 and giving thousands more Emirati children access to high-quality, subsidised early childhood education. The expansion will welcome new children, aged 2-4, offering them an early learning environment rooted in Arabic language, Emirati culture, values and national identity, while supporting children's cognitive, social and emotional development. The expansion will be delivered in three phases, with priority given to establishing new nurseries in areas with a high concentration of Emirati children across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. As part of the expansion, eligible families will be able to enrol their children for a nominal fee of AED800 per month, with exemptions for low-income families registered with the Social Support Authority, children requiring additional support, the fifth child in families with five or more children, and children of working mothers who do not have domestic help. The expansion will also create new career opportunities for Emirati women in the early childhood sector, with ADEK aiming to create more than 1,000 additional opportunities.