The UAE Ministry of Education has officially approved mandatory guidelines for teaching Arabic language, Islamic Studies, and Social Studies to kindergarten students in private schools.
These new requirements will take effect starting the 2025/2026 academic year across all private schools and curricula.
Under the new policy, all students will learn Arabic daily for 200 minutes per week, increasing to 300 minutes weekly by 2027/2028. The subject must be taught by qualified early childhood teachers using approved materials for both native and non-native Arabic speakers.
Islamic Studies will also become mandatory for all Muslim kindergarten students in private schools, with 90 minutes of instruction each week. Schools can schedule this as three 30-minute sessions or two 45-minute sessions.
For Social Studies, private schools are required to teach key topics about UAE family life, geography, environment, and social values. These lessons will be delivered through play-based learning activities as part of the children’s daily routine.
To ensure these new standards are followed, the Ministry will provide schools with teaching frameworks and expected learning outcomes before the changes begin. Inspections to monitor compliance will start in the 2026/2027 academic year, with advisory visits beginning earlier.
This is the first time these subjects have been made mandatory at the kindergarten level in private schools, reflecting the government’s focus on strengthening national identity and values from a young age.
