Abu Dhabi preschools to teach four hours of Arabic a week in new academic year

Lessons will increase to five hours a week the following year

The strategy aims to support efforts to promote the use of the language from an early age. Photo: Adek

Abu Dhabi will require pupils from the age of three to be taught Arabic for four hours a week from the start of the new academic year, authorities have announced.

The strategy, announced on Monday, aims to support efforts to promote the use of the language from an early age, the Department of Education and Knowledge said.

Under the new School KG Arabic Curriculum Policy, children of pre-kindergarten age (three to four) to those of kindergarten 2 age (five to six) will receive "240 minutes per week of structured, age-appropriate Arabic instruction" in the 2025-2026 academic year, which is to begin at the end of August.

This will increase to five hours a week from the 2026/2027 academic year, as part of a broader push to immerse young people in the language. The directive applies to all children in those age groups, including native Arabic speakers.

The lessons will be built around play, storytelling, songs and exploration to help young children connect with Arabic, the department said.

The initiative outlines two learning tracks. The first is designed to improve the fluency of native Arabic speakers, with the second tailored for non-native speakers and those new to the Emirates.

Championing Arabic language

“This is about more than just adding Arabic lessons,” said Mariam Al Hallami, executive director for early education at the department. “It’s about giving every child in Abu Dhabi the gift of language, identity and connection, starting from day one. We want Arabic to feel natural, interactive and alive in every classroom and every home.”

The initiative aims to bridge the gap between Arabic learning for children in preschool and the start of mandatory Arabic instruction at schools.

In October, the department announced that nurseries in Abu Dhabi would be required to employ at least one Arabic-speaking teacher and encouraged institutions to provide more training staff to promote the everyday use of the language.

It said the mandate would be introduced at the emirate's more than 200 nurseries – referred to as early childhood institutes by the authority – for the 2025/2026 academic year.

UAE leaders have consistently highlighted the need to preserve and protect the Arabic language for generations to come. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, has long supported the preservation of the language, which is spoken by more than 300 million people around the world.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said in May last year that there was an urgent need to foster Arabic language skills in young people.