UAE February 8th, 2026: The UNESCO officially chose the Emirate of Sharjah to be the first Arab city to test a global early childhood development tool -the Early Childhood Care and Education- Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool. This news by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a significant step in the field of early childhood development and the position of Sharjah in the global arena in enhancing education among young children.
Early Childhood Development
ECCE-PATT: An International Quality Measurement System.
The Early Childhood Care and Education Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool (ECCE-PATT) developed by the UNESCO assists the cities and nations in:
- Examine the existing situation in early childhood care and education.
- Find areas of weakness and strengths.
- Advise using evidence-based decisions.
- Shape changes to enhance child wellbeing and learning.
The fact that Sharjah was chosen as the pilot to this early childhood development tool shows that the world has trust in education systems and policies in the Emirate.
The Role Of Sharjah In The Development Of Early Childhood
The reason as to why Sharjah was selected by UNESCO highlights the comprehensive and futuristic nature of the Emirate on early childhood development. The pilot will:
- Develop a multi-faceted self-evaluation success profile of the early childhood sector of Sharjah.
- Record accomplishments and competent practices.
- Find holes in systems and policies.
- Use the model of Highlight Sharjah as the model to emulate the Arab region.
According to Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, the Chairwoman of the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and the president of the Sharjah Education Academy, the results of the pilot will be used to develop specific improvement strategies, which will ensure the standards of care and education are international.
Leadership Perspectives
Dr. Al Hashimi stressed that the involvement of Sharjah will facilitate the continued striving of providing quality early childhood care and education within the Emirate closely in cooperation with UNESCO.
Dr. Borhene Chakroun, the Director of the Division of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems at UNESCO pointed out that lifelong learning can start as early as childhood. In his opinion, operating the tool will assist Sharjah in producing evidence that can steer systemic reforms that can support:
- Enhanced school preparedness.
- Foundational learning
- Growth in education during life.
This perspective highlights the value that UNESCO has given to early childhood development as the foundation of further learning and development.
Policy Discussion And Regional Influence
The Sharjah Private Education Authority and Sharjah Education Academy alongside UNESCO are to conduct a high-level closed policy dialogue meeting, in conjunction with the pilot, dedicated to the early childhood care system.
This discussion will be held at the Sharjah international Summit on Improvement in Education on 1415 February 2026 and will include policymakers, practitioners, and experts throughout the UAE, the Gulf, and the Arab world.
Participants will:
- Converse the experiences of implementation of the early childhood development tool in Sharjah.
- Share best practices.
- Promote effective plans of empowering the early childhood systems in the region.
It is hoped that such debates will lead to policy compatibility and better success of early education in the Arab world.
Sharjah Early Childhood Development Commitment
The fact that Sharjah is the first Arab city to be chosen by UNESCO to be the pilot in early childhood development tool ECCE-PATT shows that the Emirate is quickly becoming a leader in the early learning and child care system. This initiative will allow Sharjah to strengthen its role as a model in the region in terms of education that fosters the growth of young learners and promotes the development of society in the long term.
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