A new report by consultancy Arthur D. Little shows the UAE leading the Gulf region in early childhood education, with pre-primary enrolment reaching approximately 82 per cent — the highest rate among GCC countries and the closest to near-universal participation. around 2.6 million children aged three to five across the GCC still lack adequate access to early education. Saudi Arabia alone accounts for roughly 75 per cent of the region's kindergarten expansion needs, while Qatar and Kuwait, despite favourable teacher-to-child ratios, still need to broaden access further.
The report estimates that reaching 95 per cent enrolment across the region by 2035 would require roughly 11,600 new kindergartens and 116,000 additional educators, with 94 per cent of that expansion needed simply to close existing gaps rather than accommodate future population growth.
Amr Kazimi, a principal at the consultancy, said: "The UAE has established a strong position in early childhood participation, leading the GCC at approximately 82 per cent." Fellow partner Yigit Saf added that early childhood education "should no longer be viewed simply as a social cost," noting that high-quality programmes generate strong returns, with the report citing roughly $6 in benefits for every $1 invested.
The report also warns that only 6.6 per cent of global education budgets are currently directed toward pre-primary education — a figure analysts say will need to rise if Gulf states are to close the region's remaining gaps in the years ahead.