Sharjah selected by UNESCO for early childhood education pilot

UNESCO has selected the Emirate of Sharjah to participate in the pilot implementation of a global tool assessing early childhood care and education systems, according to the state-run WAM news agency.

Sharjah will take part in the Early Childhood Care and Education–Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool, known as ECCE-PATT, developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The selection recognizes Sharjah’s efforts to strengthen early childhood systems through evidence-based policy, effective governance and the provision of high-quality education and care services.

UNESCO’s nomination reflects international recognition of Sharjah’s integrated approach to early childhood development, including supportive policies, quality education provision and coordination among institutions involved in the sector.

The pilot aims to develop a comprehensive self-assessment of Sharjah’s early childhood sector. This includes documenting key achievements and promising practices, consolidating supporting evidence, identifying system gaps and highlighting Sharjah’s experience as a regional model.

Sharjah has played a prominent role in early childhood development initiatives in the Arab region. It hosted the Regional Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education in the Arab States in June 2023.

The conference was organized by the Sharjah Family and Community Council in collaboration with UNESCO’s Multisectoral Regional Office for the Arab States. It was held in coordination with the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Sharjah Education Academy and the Sharjah Child Friendly Office.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr Muhadditha Al Hashimi, chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority and president of the Sharjah Education Academy, said UNESCO’s selection aligns with the vision of Sharjah’s ruler.

She said the pilot assessment would support the development of targeted improvement plans to enhance the quality of early childhood care and education in line with international standards, in collaboration with UNESCO.

Dr Borhene Chakroun, director of UNESCO’s Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, said the initiative would help generate evidence to drive system-wide reforms in early childhood education.

He said the pilot would strengthen school readiness, foundational learning and lifelong learning opportunities, describing it as a demonstration of Sharjah’s leadership in education transformation.

Separately, the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Sharjah Education Academy, in partnership with UNESCO, will hold a closed, high-level policy dialogue on early childhood care and education.

The session will take place during the pre-conference day of the Sharjah International Summit on Improvement in Education, scheduled for Feb. 14–15 at the Sharjah Education Academy campus in University City.

Senior policymakers, experts and decision-makers from the UAE, the Gulf region and the wider Arab world are expected to attend, along with representatives from academic institutions and international organizations.

Discussions will focus on initial feedback from Sharjah’s pilot implementation of the ECCE-PATT tool and the development of practical recommendations based on its findings.