The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with PureHealth, the Middle East’s largest healthcare group, to create a new career pathway enabling Emirati professionals to qualify for employment in the field of inclusive education in Abu Dhabi.
The specialised programme combines training, professional development and certification, equipping participants with the skills required to provide inclusive educational support to students.
The partnership brings together ADEK’s expertise in the education sector and PureHealth’s specialised healthcare capabilities, helping to enhance students’ health and wellbeing while advancing an inclusive education system that supports the learning, growth and development of all students, in line with ADEK’s priorities for the private education sector.
The collaboration also supports the Emiratisation efforts of both ADEK and PureHealth by establishing structured career pathways for UAE nationals in specialised education and learning support, alongside traditional teaching roles.
The initiative builds on ADEK’s recent launch of its Emiratisation Policy for the private education sector, opening up new professional opportunities for Emirati talent and helping develop a qualified workforce to support students’ learning and wellbeing.
Under the agreement, ADEK and PureHealth will implement a comprehensive six-month training programme combining specialised clinical training delivered by Sakina, PureHealth’s mental health division and the UAE’s largest provider of mental healthcare services, with supervised practical training opportunities at private schools and charter schools across Abu Dhabi.
The agreement was signed by Mubarak Hamad Al Mehairi, Undersecretary of ADEK, and Saeed Al Kuwaiti, Group Chief Executive Officer of SEHA, in the presence of Mohammed Al Qadi, Chairman of ADEK, and Shaista Asif, Group Chief Executive Officer of PureHealth.
Mubarak Al Mehairi said a high-quality education system ensures that all students have opportunities to learn, participate and grow, while receiving support tailored to their individual needs.
Achieving this requires continued investment in developing teachers’ capabilities, as well as those of the specialised professionals who work alongside them to support students’ learning and wellbeing, he added.
“Through our partnership with PureHealth, we are opening promising new career pathways for Emirati talent to contribute to advancing inclusive education and developing the diverse pool of qualified professionals needed to support future generations in Abu Dhabi,” Al Mehairi said.
For his part, Saeed Al Kuwaiti stressed that a child’s ability to grow and develop is shaped by the support they receive from the earliest stages of life.
By strengthening integration between the healthcare and education sectors, children’s individual needs can be identified at an early stage, more inclusive learning environments can be created, and stronger foundations can be established for every child’s future, he said.
“Through our partnership with ADEK, we are leveraging Sakina’s specialised expertise to support Emirati talent and create wider opportunities for children with diverse needs to learn and develop, empowering them to realise their full potential,” Al Kuwaiti said.
He added that these efforts go beyond supporting children today, representing an investment in building a healthier, more inclusive society and securing a brighter future for generations to come.
The training will draw on multidisciplinary expertise in psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and behavioural support, helping enhance students’ independence, participation and emotional wellbeing.
The first provides structured training for unemployed UAE nationals seeking to enter the education sector as certified inclusion assistants.
The second targets Emiratis already working as inclusion assistants at private and charter schools in Abu Dhabi, offering advanced skills development and specialised expertise to prepare them for progression into inclusion teacher positions.
The programme aims to train and certify up to 120 new Emirati inclusion assistants annually, while upgrading the skills of up to 130 inclusion assistants each year to enable them to progress into inclusion teacher roles.
Beyond professional training and certification, the initiative will support long-term career development, enabling Emirati professionals to build on their experience and pursue additional qualifications in special education and allied health professions through future academic partnerships.
The partnership reflects ADEK and PureHealth’s shared commitment to developing Emirati talent and expanding professional opportunities in key sectors across Abu Dhabi.
It builds on ADEK’s existing national talent development initiatives, including the Madad and Be a Teacher programmes, while complementing PureHealth’s broader investments in preparing Emirati professionals through its Emirati Development Centre.
