Ras Al Khaimah Government has launched an initiative to provide financial support to private nurseries in the Emirate that were forced to temporarily shut down due to repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government launched the initiative in line with the directive of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, as well as his vision to ensure the provision of high quality and resilient education system in the Emirate.

The RAS authorities have distributed the funds among all nurseries that submitted their applications and qualified for financial support. With this assistance, a large number of nurseries are once again operating their activities in compliance with safety guidelines and precautionary measures issued by the Ministry of Health.

Notably, it is one of the many initiatives unveiled by the Ras Al Khaimah Government to provide support and assistance to businesses entities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the government rolled out a comprehensive stimulus package to help thousands of companies in the Emirate. Through the package, the government offered business boosters such as fee exemptions, payment deferrals, and fine waivers to entities in the emirate with the aim of ensuring business continuity across all sectors.

Dr. Mohamed Abdullatif Khalifa, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, said that the funding for nurseries is another indicator of the commitment of the emirate's leadership to ensure complete economic and social recovery from the pandemic. He added that the initiative is crucial for the long-term development of Ras Al Khaimah in the post-pandemic new normal and to ensure the continuity of nurseries across the emirate.

"Research shows that supporting early childhood education not only enhances the opportunities for future generations but also enables greater participation of women in the workforce," he noted.

Speaking about the support, Helen V. John, Manager of Kinderwood Nursery in the Khuzam area of Ras Al Khaimah, expressed joy on receiving the funding after 11 months of closure.

"The financial support has been crucial for us in reopening the nursery," she said.

Adding that all fields are suffering from the impact of COVID-19, she took a sigh of relief on learning about the financial support from the Ras Al Khaimah Government. Helen explained that the nursery will use the funds to buy extra resources for children, staff training to improve their skills, and some renovations to enhance the safety of pupils amid the prevailing circumstances.

"It’s a big help to the industry and will support the children at a crucial time of their development, which has suffered due to the pandemic," she noted.

Amin Humood, Manager of Little Dream Nursery, expressed pleasure to receive support from the Ras Al Khaimah Government.

"It has been so difficult for us over the past year. The support really means a lot to us and we now plan to reopen one of our branches within the next two months. If this support hadn’t come, we wouldn’t have been able to reopen," Humood added.

WAM