Abu Dhabi: Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
The General Secretariat of the Khalifa Award for Education, one of the institutions of the Erth Zayed philanthropies, emphasized that the United Arab Emirates has presented a unique model in nurturing and empowering early childhood at all local, regional, and international levels. The Secretary-General introduced the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning as one of the pioneering national initiatives in this sector, for it drives a stimulating environment for social, physical, mental, and cognitive development during the early years of education and childhood. He also emphasized that the Award standards are based on the prestigious international standards adopted by specialized international organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other relevant organizations.
This initiative occurred during the Award delegation’s visit to the Republic of Rwanda, where they discussed prospects for joint cooperation between the Award and various Rwandan institutions and organizations specializing in child development.
The delegation was headed by Humaid Al Houti, Secretary-General of the Khalifa Award for Education, and included several members of the Awarding Committee for the Khalifa International Award for Learning, including Professor Steven Barnett, Chair of the Committee, Founder and Co-Founder of the National Institute for Early Childhood Education and Professor of Education at Rutgers University; Dr. Janna Fleming, Awarding Committee member and Director of Early Childhood Development at the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation; and Candice Potgieter, winner of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning, (17th session), CEO of The Unlimited Child, South Africa.
Humaid Al Houti emphasized how the Khalifa Award for Education, an institution of the Erth Zayed Philanthropies, is proud of this visit to Rwanda, a country recognized for its outstanding national development and distinguished model in education, knowledge, and human development. Today, the Award’s delegation met with Ms. Ingabire Assumpta, Director General of the National Child Development Agency, and Mr. Munyemana Gilbert, Deputy Director General, along with a number of officials from the agency. The meeting discussed prospects for joint cooperation and provided the delegation with an overview of the agency’s fields of work, which was established in 2020 by a decree of the President of the Republic of Rwanda. The agency is responsible for child development by providing integrated services for children from birth to preschool, encompassing early education, health, nutrition, and protection. Similarly, NCDA also works to set national standards for early childhood services and coordinate efforts at the local and national levels. One of its most prominent recent projects is “Tubakuze”(Making Them Grow), which aims to enhance early childhood education services and improve water and sanitation facilities for children in vulnerable communities.
Humaid Al Houti added that the two sides discussed mechanisms for joint collaboration regarding child development by enriching innovative education programs with research, studies, and advanced teaching methods, as well as motivating and encouraging teachers who are change-makers to launch innovative initiatives in the field of childhood education.
For his part, Steven Barnett, Chairman of the Awarding Committee, presented a scientific overview of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning, which was launched as a prominent national initiative to highlight best practices in early childhood care. This field includes two categories: Best Research and Studies and Best Programs, Curricula, Teaching Methodologies, and Practices. This field has been introduced globally and received significant attention from various international organizations specializing in early childhood care, as well as relevant universities and research centers.
The Award delegation’s tour included an overview of the work of the National Agency for Child Development, where Ms. Ingabire Assumpta, Director General emphasized the agency’s role in creating an environment conducive to the healthy growth of all children from birth to preschool age.