Over 300 Emirati teachers, staff to be hired at Abu Dhabi's Aldar Education schools

A new strategic partnership to accelerate Emiratisation in the education sector has been signed between Aldar Education and ADEK

Aldar Education-operated schools in Abu Dhabi will see a nine-fold increase in UAE nationals among staff with the signing of a new strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK).

Aldar Education will work towards hiring over 300 Emiratis, including over 100 new-to-sector Emirati teachers, as part of this partnership. It will also comply with 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. 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.

Education diploma, internships, and more

A structured recruitment pathway has been built for Emiratis who successfully complete ADEK’s Kon Moallim programme, a postgraduate diploma in education delivered in collaboration with the Emirates College for Advanced Education.

Beyond social studies, priority focus areas include growth across Ministry of Education (MOE) subjects, Special Educational Needs (SEN), and Foundation Stage and KG classrooms.

Aldar will also continue to create structured early-career pathways for Emiratis through internship and entry-level opportunities at Aldar Education, including up to 30 internships annually and up to 40 classroom assistant opportunities each year.

The partnership also includes Aldar’s multi-year talent development programme, aimed at introducing new-to-sector Emirati educators into the workforce by the 2030-2031 academic year.

A joint steering committee will be formed 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.