UAE Nurseries Are Still Waiting For The Go Ahead To Reopen In September

Recently the KHDA announced guidelines and steps for reopening schools, however nurseries are still waiting on information. Yesterday, a Zoom meeting between some of the country’s largest nurseries confirmed that they are requesting guidelines to reopen and that, sadly, 10% of nurseries have already shut.

Various establishments like schools, universities, gyms, swimming pools and shisha cafes have already received guidelines on how to safely reopen

However, nursery owners are yet to receive official guidance from the concerned authorities.

“We believe that the UAE economy needs childcare to restart. We have been closed since 1st March with no visibility on reopening”, Said Lama Chivi, Chief Executive Officer of Babilou Middle East and India in the Zoom meeting.

CEO for Middle East and North Africa of Kido Education Umair Tariq spoke about similar difficulties.

“The lack of clarity has made us pause and reconsider our plans to expand further in the region. Our nurseries in the UK, Hong Kong, USA are all open and many are operating to full capacity. We’ve even been able to open new branches in London and Austin, Texas during the pandemic. As early years professionals, we are confident in a very high level of cleanliness and hygiene in all our facilities. Allied to that, all the data indicates that young children are less likely to affected by the virus. Parents need us to open so that they can return to their own professions”.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) still has no announcement yet.

“We’ll update these FAQs as soon as this changes. All early learning operating within schools can open,” the KHDA wrote in their FAQ’s.