Sharjah First Arab City to Pilot UNESCO Early Childhood Assessment Tool

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has selected Sharjah as the first city in the Arab world to pilot its Early Childhood Care and Education – Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool (ECCE-PATT). The initiative recognizes Sharjah’s sustained commitment to early childhood development and its increasingly prominent role as a regional leader in educational innovation.

The pilot program, announced on February 8, 2026, will involve a comprehensive self-assessment of Sharjah’s early childhood sector. According to UNESCO, the assessment will document key achievements, identify areas for improvement, and highlight Sharjah’s experience as a potential model for other cities in the Arab States region. The process will focus on consolidating evidence of existing programs and practices, pinpointing systemic gaps, and ultimately contributing to the development of more effective policies.

The selection of Sharjah underscores a growing international focus on the critical importance of early childhood education. UNESCO’s ECCE-PATT is designed to provide a standardized framework for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of early learning systems, enabling countries and cities to track progress and identify areas where investment is most needed. The tool aims to move beyond simply measuring enrollment rates to assess the overall impact of early childhood programs on children’s development and well-being.

Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority, emphasized the significance of the partnership with UNESCO. She stated that the initiative reflects Sharjah’s prioritization of children as the cornerstone of educational transformation. This commitment, she added, is demonstrated through supportive policies, robust governance structures, and a dedication to providing high-quality care and education services.

Sharjah’s selection builds upon its hosting of the Regional Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education in the Arab States in June 2023. That conference, organized in collaboration with UNESCO’s Multisectoral Regional Office for the Arab States and the Sharjah Family and Community Council, brought together key stakeholders from across the region, including representatives from the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Sharjah Education Academy, and the Sharjah Child Friendly Office. The event served as a platform for sharing best practices and identifying common challenges in the provision of early childhood care and education.

The UAE, and Sharjah in particular, has been steadily investing in its education infrastructure and pedagogical approaches. This latest collaboration with UNESCO represents a further step in that direction, signaling a desire to align its national standards with international best practices. The focus on early childhood development is particularly noteworthy, as research consistently demonstrates the long-term benefits of high-quality early learning experiences on children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.

The ECCE-PATT tool is expected to provide Sharjah with a detailed roadmap for strengthening its early childhood sector. By identifying specific areas where improvements can be made, the assessment will enable policymakers to allocate resources more effectively and ensure that all children have access to the support they need to thrive. The pilot program is also expected to generate valuable insights that can be shared with other cities and countries seeking to improve their own early childhood systems.

Sharjah’s integrated approach to early childhood development, combining supportive policies, strong governance, and quality education provision, has been a key factor in its selection by UNESCO. The Emirate’s close coordination among various institutions involved in early childhood care and education has also been praised as a model for other regions. This collaborative approach is seen as essential for ensuring that children receive a holistic and comprehensive education that prepares them for success in school and beyond.

The pilot implementation of ECCE-PATT in Sharjah is not merely a local initiative; it carries broader implications for the Arab region. By demonstrating the effectiveness of the tool and showcasing Sharjah’s progress, the program could encourage other Arab cities to adopt similar assessment frameworks and invest in their own early childhood sectors. This, in turn, could contribute to a significant improvement in the quality of early learning opportunities available to children across the region.

The success of the Sharjah pilot will be closely watched by UNESCO and other international organizations. The findings from the assessment are expected to inform the development of future iterations of the ECCE-PATT tool and to provide valuable guidance to countries and cities around the world seeking to strengthen their early childhood systems. Sharjah’s participation in this initiative underscores its commitment to playing a leading role in shaping the future of early childhood education globally.

The initiative also comes at a time of increasing recognition of the importance of early childhood development in addressing broader societal challenges, such as poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. By investing in early learning opportunities, governments can help to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all children.