DUBAI // Parents are entrusting their young children to the care of private nursery schools where most of the staff are unqualified, a study has found.
There is no licensing process for employment in nurseries, defined as schools or day-care centres for children aged 4 and under.
Now, in a major overhaul of the system, staff renewing their visas from next summer will have to prove they have appropriate qualifications. If not, they will be given only temporary one-year work permits and told to seek suitable training.
The National Early Childhood Development Childcare Survey tried to poll staff at all 254 private nurseries, from which 156 responded.
"We found that 85 per cent of the staff were unqualified," said Dr Tariq Kashmiri, chairman of the board of Arabian Child, an early childhood education (ECE) development consultancy that conducted the survey for the Ministry of Social Affairs, which oversees nurseries.
"Even many of the teachers are not qualified. They are good as human beings but you must have the relevant qualifications - degrees, diplomas and so on."
"This research did not just look at the teachers, but at everyone who works in a nursery - including supervisors and nannies," said Moza Salem Al Shoomi, director of the Child Department at the ministry.
The UAE has no certification process for nursery workers, but MoSA says it has plans to rectify this next year with new visa laws.
Ms Al Shoomi said the Arabian Child survey was only the start of a major overhaul of the system governing nurseries.
"The next step is that we have linked up with the Ministry of Labour so that by next summer, when someone goes to renew their visa - whether they be an assistant or a supervisor or any position in a nursery - they will have to show a letter from us to prove that they have some sort of acceptable qualification in ECE.
"If they cannot, then we will only give them a visa for one year to seek training in ECE before we reconsider their application."
The qualification required may take the form of something as simple as four sessions on a Saturday afternoon at Arabian Child, or any one of a number of other approved courses in ECE available at Zayed University and elsewhere.
Dr Kashmiri said even some of the teachers who have degrees aren't sufficiently qualified.
"Maybe they have a bachelor's degree, but maybe it's in engineering, something that has nothing to do with child development." he said. "It's like having an architect working in a clinic."
He said even qualified staff should undergo career development training once a year.
Lucy Bruce, the co-founder and director of operations at Home Grown Children's Eco Nursery in Dubai, said it wasn't uncommon to hear of nurseries where teachers weren't qualified.
"All of our teachers need to have a qualification in ECE because we follow the British Early Years Foundation Stage model, which stipulates that teachers must have an early years qualification, be it a diploma or teaching degree," she said.
"When it comes to hiring classroom assistants, yes, we may employ someone who has nurturing and motherly instincts and a wealth of experience, and a degree that's not teaching-related. Sometimes the qualification isn't as important as the personality and skills in the classroom.
"But we will certainly follow regulations recommended by the ministry. This will not only be beneficial for our staff but ensures that our children are given the best possible preschool education."
The final step in the ministry's plan to overhaul the nursery-school system will be to implement a ratings system.
Inspectors will grade all nurseries from A to E, according to their training, facilities, administration and social responsibility.
A nursery that receives an E grade will be given a year to improve, or it will be shut down.
The grades will also be used to determine the level of fees the nursery may charge.
"We are still training our inspectors for this process," said Ms Al Shoomi. "Inshallah, by 2013 we will be able to send out four teams to begin inspecting."
Samia Kazi, Arabian Child's chief operating officer for research, products and services, said it was vital for different sections of the early years field to join forces.
The company has set up the Arabian Association for Early Childhood Education to bring together parents, teachers and organisations.
"What we are saying is, 4 is too late," she said. "We need experts dealing with our babies, toddlers and preschoolers. If we wait till they enter school, we are too late."
* Additional reporting by The National staff
