Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge partners with Aldar to advance Emiratisation in education sector

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and Aldar have signed a strategic partnership to accelerate Emiratisation in the education sector through a structured talent development roadmap aimed at driving a nine-fold increase in the representation of UAE Nationals across key roles in Aldar Education’s operated schools.

Aldar Education will work towards hiring over 300 UAE Nationals, including over 100 new-to-sector Emirati teachers as part of this partnership, while supporting the national direction to ensure all Social Studies positions across its operated schools are occupied by Emirati educators within the next three years.

This agreement is the first of its nature between ADEK and a private sector education provider, signalling a transformative shift in how the UAE develops and deploys teaching talent from UAE Nationals at scale. It establishes a comprehensive framework with Aldar Education leading on recruitment, deployment, and career progression opportunities for UAE Nationals within its schools, while ADEK is supporting this commitment with establishing entry pathways for top talent and enabling the development of qualified UAE National candidates through its teacher preparation and training initiatives.

This collaboration builds on ADEK’s recently announced teacher talent approach, which recognises teachers as the key drivers of student success and enablers of national priorities. Anchored in the new Abu Dhabi Educators’ Proficiency Framework, the approach strengthens teacher standards and professional development, while supporting and empowering existing educators and expanding diversified attraction pathways to welcome passionate and experienced individuals into Abu Dhabi classrooms.

The partnership was inaugurated in the presence of His Excellency Mohamed Taj Eddine Ahmed Alqadi, Chairman of ADEK, and His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Aldar Group, with Mariam Alhallami, ADEK’s Private Education and Charter Schools Sector Executive Director and Sahar Cooper, CEO of Aldar Education, signing the agreement.

His Excellency Mohamed Taj Eddine Ahmed Alqadi, Chairman of ADEK, said: “Teachers are the single most important factor in achieving educational excellence, and developing a strong national teaching workforce remains central to Abu Dhabi’s long-term education priorities. Through initiatives such as Kon Moallim, ADEK is offering structured pathways that prepare and qualify UAE Nationals through a postgraduate diploma in education, equipping them with the capabilities, confidence, and professional foundations required to succeed. This MoU reflects the power of public and private sectors collaboration in translating national talent development priorities into tangible opportunities, with ADEK enabling a qualified talent pipeline and Aldar Education supporting its progression through recruitment, development, and long-term career pathways across its operated schools.”

His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Aldar and Chairman of Aldar Education, said: “Emiratisation is a nation-building imperative, and one that Aldar is committed to advancing across every dimension of our business. This partnership with ADEK marks an important step in strengthening Emiratisation within the education sector in Abu Dhabi, and we are proud that Aldar Education is the first private education provider to enter into a strategic partnership of this kind. The UAE’s future depends on the strength of its human capital, which begins in the classroom. Through this partnership, we are contributing to the development of a future-ready generation, while reinforcing Aldar’s long-term commitment to the UAE’s national vision and sustained progress.”

Central to the success of the partnership is a structured recruitment pathway for UAE Nationals successfully completing ADEK’s Kon Moallim programme, a postgraduate diploma in education delivered in collaboration with the Emirates College for Advanced Education, helping build a sustainable pipeline of high-calibre teaching talent. The partnership also supports wider national priorities to strengthen the presence of UAE Nationals in teaching roles across schools, including the national direction to have social studies teaching roles occupied by UAE Nationals across all schools within the next three years, with Aldar Education playing a key role through long-term recruitment and development pathways.

Beyond social studies, priority focus areas include growth across Ministry of Education (MOE) subjects, Special Educational Needs (SEN), Foundation Stage and KG classrooms, recognising the distinct competencies each discipline demands. Underpinning all of this is Aldar’s progressive; multi-year talent development programme aimed at introducing new-to-sector UAE National educators into the workforce by the 2030-2031 academic year, one that reflects the UAE's national identity and its vision for a knowledge-driven society.

The partnership also includes the formation of a joint steering committee to oversee implementation and track key performance metrics, including Aldar Education’s recruitment, retention and progression of UAE National talent, as well as the readiness of candidates prepared through ADEK-supported pathways.

The framework will also align with national initiatives such as NAFIS and MOHRE, focusing on recognition of new-to-sector teacher development, academic-year hiring cycles, and incentives for long-term talent retention and progression. In line with the partnership, Aldar will also continue to create structured early-career pathways for UAE Nationals through internship and entry-level opportunities at Aldar Education, including up to 30 internships annually and up to 40 Classroom Assistant opportunities each year. These initiatives reflect the long-term commitment to growing talent among UAE Nationals from the ground up, creating sustainable pipelines that address both immediate recruitment needs and longer-term teacher supply.

Aldar Education and ADEK are setting a new benchmark for public-private collaboration in education, delivering a more localised, resilient, and future-ready education workforce that is firmly aligned with the nation’s long-term vision and the empowerment of UAE Nationals as the cornerstone of the UAE’s educational excellence.