SPEA News

SPEA Launches "Nursery Improvement Review Visits" Project

21 May 2024

SPEA has launched the "Nursery Improvement Review Visits" project in the emirate within its specialized program "ITQAN," in collaboration with Childbase Partnership, which specializes in early childhood education in the UK. The project was announced during a meeting held at the Sharjah Education Academy, attended by His Excellency Ali Al Hosani, Director of SPEA, alongside Ms.Lorna Wigley, Quality and Training Director at Childbase Partnership, as well as inspectors, reviewers, and administrators from both sides. The meeting discussed the ways and mechanisms for implementing the joint project between SPEA, Sharjah Education Academy, and Childbase Partnership, aimed at developing policies and programs that enhance this vital sector in line with Sharjah's vision and strategy. The goal is to improve and enhance the capabilities of nurseries and develop their educational system to achieve the best results. The 'Sharjah Nursery Improvement Review Visits' project follows the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Alqasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and aligns with SPEA’s strategy to support and develop the early childhood education sector. The project reflects Sharjah's commitment to providing high-quality educational opportunities for children in early childhood, which is considered fundamental for all subsequent educational phases. Additionally, it aims to provide necessary support for educational and administrative staff working in nurseries. Mr. Abdulla Almarzooqi, Educational Consultant at SPEA, welcomed the partnership with Childbase, commending the ongoing efforts of both parties since the partnership's inception. Their collaboration aims at developing a distinguished framework for early childhood education. He emphasized the importance of these visits for the development of nurseries in Sharjah, highlighting logistical arrangements that preceded the announcement of this pioneering project. These arrangements included engaging educational community stakeholders, such as parents who received a survey from SPEA to assess nurseries based on their experience and highlight key points for improvement. Ms. Lorna Wigley, Quality and Training Director at Childbase Partnership, explained that a delegation from SPEA and the Sharjah Education Academy visited Childbase’s headquarters in the UK last July, where they toured several private nurseries. This positive impression led to the decision to pursue the partnership, marking it as the first of its kind in the Middle East. She mentioned that the initial phase of the partnership included an assessment of nurseries in Sharjah and providing benchmark comparisons, followed by their presence in the emirate to launch the project. She also highlighted other plans and initiatives that will be unveiled soon, all aimed at developing early childhood education. She affirmed that all reviewers from Childbase involved in the project, who will be part of the review visits team, have extensive specialized experience in childcare, including at least five years with Childbase. She clarified that the goal of these visits and the project is to enhance the quality of care and education in Sharjah's nurseries, emphasizing that the visits are intended as reviews rather than evaluations. Ms. Lorna highlighted the framework developed in collaboration between SPEA, the Academy, and Ms. Lorna, expressing pride in this initiative, which is the first of its kind in the country. She showed great optimism about the project's future prospects and emphasized Childbase's commitment to continuing the partnership and cooperation. As part of its preparations to implement the project, SPEA organized a series of developmental sessions titled "Professional Development Week," led by Dr. Bochra Kaddoura, a specialist in early childhood improvement and nurseries at SPEA. The sessions involved nursery directors and those responsible for early childhood education, covering a wide range of topics, including the application of best practices in early childhood education, developing effective learning strategies, and enhancing critical and creative thinking skills for teachers and educators, among other relevant subjects, aimed at enabling educational staff to provide exceptional and inspiring learning experiences for children in their early years. It is worth noting that the launch of the "Nursery Improvement Review Visits" project falls within SPEA's ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of education and improve the learning environment for children in the emirate by providing a stimulating and encouraging educational environment that supports comprehensive child development. These efforts also aim to enhance the role of parents as partners in the learning and development process by providing support and guidance on how to support their children's development at home, contributing to building a distinguished generation that advances the community and the future. This collaboration between SPEA and Childbase is the result of an agreement signed between them to conduct improvement review visits in the emirate's public and private nurseries, totaling 141 nurseries. These visits serve as a developmental tool to improve the quality of educational outcomes in nurseries.