Abu Dhabi deepens Emirati teacher pipeline

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Abu Dhabi has moved to expand its pool of UAE National educators through a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge and Aldar, setting a formal public-private route for Emiratisation across private school teaching and leadership roles.
The agreement, signed on 20 May 2026, establishes a structured talent development roadmap designed to increase UAE National representation ninefold across key positions in Aldar Education’s operated schools. Aldar Education will work towards hiring more than 300 UAE Nationals, including over 100 new-to-sector teachers, while supporting the target of placing Emirati educators in all Social Studies teaching roles across its operated schools within three years.

The initiative marks a shift in Abu Dhabi’s education workforce strategy, extending national talent development beyond government-run and charter school models into one of the emirate’s largest private education networks. Aldar Education operates and manages 27 schools serving more than 36,000 pupils, giving the partnership a scale that could influence recruitment practices across the wider private school market.

Mariam Alhallami, Executive Director of ADEK’s Private Education and Charter Schools Sector, and Sahar Cooper, Chief Executive of Aldar Education, signed the agreement in the presence of Mohamed Taj Eddine Ahmed Alqadi, Chairman of ADEK, and Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Aldar Group and Chairman of Aldar Education.

Mohamed Taj Eddine Ahmed Alqadi said teachers remain central to educational excellence and Abu Dhabi’s long-term priorities. He said ADEK’s Kon Moallim programme is preparing UAE Nationals through a postgraduate diploma in education, giving candidates the professional grounding needed to enter classrooms with confidence.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak described Emiratisation as a nation-building priority and said Aldar Education’s role as the first private education provider to enter such a partnership with ADEK reflected a broader commitment to national human capital. He said the UAE’s future depends on the strength of its people, beginning in classrooms.

ADEK’s role will focus on building the talent pipeline through preparation, qualification and entry pathways. Aldar Education will lead recruitment, deployment, retention and career progression inside its schools. A joint steering committee will track implementation, including hiring numbers, retention rates, candidate readiness and progression into long-term education careers.

Central to the plan is Kon Moallim, delivered with Emirates College for Advanced Education, which prepares UAE Nationals for teaching through a postgraduate diploma in education. The pathway is supported by Midad, an entry-level, self-paced teaching bootcamp that allows candidates to explore education, build foundational classroom skills and progress towards formal teacher preparation.

The partnership also includes up to 30 internships each year and up to 40 classroom assistant opportunities annually for UAE Nationals. These early-career routes are intended to widen access to school-based experience and create a stronger base for future recruitment into teaching, support and leadership positions.

Priority areas go beyond Social Studies. The roadmap covers Ministry of Education subjects, Special Educational Needs, Foundation Stage and kindergarten classrooms, reflecting demand for UAE National educators across disciplines that require different professional skills and cultural competencies. Aldar’s multi-year talent programme is expected to introduce new-to-sector Emirati educators into the workforce by the 2030-31 academic year.

The move comes as Abu Dhabi works to strengthen teacher standards under the Abu Dhabi Educators’ Proficiency Framework, which aims to align professional development, classroom quality and student outcomes. By linking qualification pathways with direct employment routes, the partnership seeks to reduce one of the main barriers facing aspiring educators: the gap between training and sustainable school placement.

Private schools form a major part of Abu Dhabi’s education landscape, serving families across a wide range of curricula and fee levels. Greater participation by UAE Nationals in those schools could help embed national identity, language, heritage and civic understanding more deeply across classrooms, while also giving pupils more visible local role models.