Latest news with #earlylearning
Zawya
15 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Taaleem acquires GCC-focused KFG to expand network
Dubai – Taaleem Holdings has signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire 95% shareholding in Kids First Group Limited (KFG), an early-learning premium education provider in the GCC. The acquisition is expected to boost Taaleem's expansion into the high-growth early-learning segment, offering accretion to both earnings and cash flow, according to a press release. KFG manages a diversified network of 34 nurseries in areas close to business districts and within residential districts in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. It serves more than 5,000 students across multiple leading brands. Subject to regulatory approvals and other pre-completion conditions, the transaction will be fully self-funded through a mix of equity and debt. It is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter (Q4) of Taaleem's financial year (FY)2024/25. Khalid Al Tayer, Chairman of Taaleem, commented: 'This acquisition of Kids First Group represents an important next chapter in Taaleem's growth strategy. By expanding further into the early-learning education segment, we are creating a comprehensive educational pathway that supports children from their earliest stages of development through to K-12 education.' Kamil Najjar, Founder and CEO of KFG, said: 'Together, KFG and Taaleem are committed to setting a new benchmark in early childhood education - preparing children to thrive in an increasingly complex and fast-evolving world, and ensuring they benefit from holistic, world-class learning environments from their earliest years' All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Arabian Business
a day ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Taaleem gets into early-learning sector with 95% stake acquisition in KFG
UAE's education provider Taaleem Holdings is expanding into the rapidly growing early-learning sector, complementing its existing portfolio of K-12 schools by acquiring a 95 per cent stake in Kids First Group Limited (KFG). KFG is a leading early-learning education provider in the GCC, which operates 34 centrally located nurseries in areas close to business districts and within residential districts in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. It currently serves more than 5,000 students across multiple leading brands and offers four curricula at various price points, enabling the company to offer tailored education solutions that caters to a broad segment of the market. Taaleem expands into early-learning sector The acquisition, which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter following regulatory approvals, is expected to deliver a value-accretive expansion for the UAE-listed education provider into the high-growth early-learning segment, offering immediate accretion to both earnings and cashflow. It will be fully self-funded through a mix of equity and debt. Exact financial details of the acquisition were not provided. Khalid Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Taaleem, commented: 'This acquisition of Kids First Group represents an important next chapter in Taaleem's growth strategy. By expanding further into the early-learning education segment, we are creating a comprehensive educational pathway that supports children from their earliest stages of development through to K-12 education. 'Kids First Group's proven track record and diverse network of leading nurseries, which receive strong recognition and demand amongst parents, strongly complement our existing market-leading portfolio, while further diversifying Taaleem's offering. This strategic move reinforces our defensive positioning and our commitment to scalable, high-quality education in the region.' Following the completion of the acquisition, KFG will be run as a standalone vertical within Taaleem's portfolio, with the existing management, including the company's founder – Kamil Najjar, who continues as a shareholder with a 5 per cent stake, working with Taaleem's Board of Directors. Najjar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KFG, added: 'Since its inception, KFG has been built for one unwavering purpose: the well-being and development of the KFG individual child. For over 14 years, this singular mission has guided the Group's growth and success. 'Today marks an exciting new chapter in KFG's journey. Taaleem's strong educational legacy will enable both organisations to enhance educational standards and accelerate the growth of premium early-learning centres. Together, KFG and Taaleem are committed to setting a new benchmark in early childhood education – preparing children to thrive in an increasingly complex and fast-evolving world, and ensuring they benefit from holistic, world-class learning environments from their earliest years.'
Cosmopolitan ME
2 days ago
- Business
- Cosmopolitan ME
Empowering young minds: how Tania Siddiqi is shaping the future of education with Masterminds
For Tania Siddiqi, Co-Founder and Director of Masterminds Education, education is more than learning to read, write, or calculate. It's about unlocking the full potential of every child – with joy, confidence, and purpose. Her journey began with a simple realisation: when children are given the right opportunities in the earliest years, they are capable of far more than most can imagine. This revelation became the foundation of Masterminds Education, one of the UAE's most awarded early learning institutions, blending decades of research with deep personal conviction. Supplied 'It's not about pushing children, it's about awakening what's already inside them,' Tania says. 'We build environments where children are known, loved, and inspired to shine.' At its core, Masterminds Education elevates traditional notions of academia, fostering academic proficiency, resilience, creativity, and a love for learning. The Masterminds Early Learning Center in Dubai delivers a holistic curriculum that includes language immersion in English, Arabic, and French, Suzuki violin, gymnastics, swimming, encyclopedic knowledge, and accelerated reading and math. Students leave the program – sometimes two years ahead of global benchmarks – with curiosity intact and confidence soaring. But Tania didn't stop at early years. This vision extends beyond the nursery and kindergarten through the Masterminds VIP Micro-School Program, a standout initiative in the UAE for children up to 14 years old. With intimate class sizes of just 5–6 students, the program offers highly personalised instruction. It combines academic excellence with enrichment activities in design technology, etiquette, public speaking, leadership, and creative problem-solving – all grounded in warmth and emotional safety. 'This isn't school as we know it,' Tania says. 'It's a complete reimagination of what education can be.' And now, that reimagination is going global. In September 2025, Tania and her team will launch Masterminds Academy in Palo Alto, California. The new U.S. campus will bring the same mastery-based education and personalized learning to the heart of Silicon Valley, while leveraging AI tools that help teachers tailor their instruction in real time. 'The technology is there to support – not replace – the human connection,' she explains. Under Tania Siddiqi's leadership, Masterminds has received numerous accolades, including Dubai's Best Early Education Provider. But for Tania, the true reward is impact. 'We want to build a generation of children who love learning, who feel empowered to lead, and who are kind, capable, and curious,' she says. 'That's what education should do.' Through Masterminds, Tania Siddiqi is not just preparing children for success in school – she's preparing them to thrive in life. ITP Media Group newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
CTV News
02-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Carleton North daycare facility to receive funding from New Brunswick government
The Step Ahead – Bath Family Learning Centre is receiving funding towards building a new educational daycare facility from the Government of New Brunswick. The centre, located in Carleton North, will receive $840,000 to support construction of an accessible 743-square metre facility. 'This funding will reduce waitlists and open more doors to ensure families in this region receive the services they need for their children,' said Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation. 'This space will give children more learning opportunities, and help families access affordable childcare.' The initiative has also received support from the local community and $500,000 from the federal government through the Canada-New Brunswick Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The agreement is committed to creating 3,400 new designated early learning childcare spaces by March 31, 2026. 'I am incredibly proud to see the Step Ahead – Bath Family Learning Centre becoming a reality,' said Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey. 'This new daycare facility will be a game-changer for our local families, offering high-quality and affordable childcare right here in our community. It will mean that more children will have access to early-learning opportunities, which will help establish the foundation for their lifelong success.' The facility will offer child-care services for six infants, 56 children aged two to four, 10 preschoolers and 45 after-school participants. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
The Herald
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Improving ECD must be a national priority
Sesame Workshop managing director Dr Onyinye Nwaneri said ECD was often mistakenly seen as a social welfare issue rather than a catalyst for long-term growth. 'It's an understandable, but flawed perception that underestimates the profound economic benefits that investment in ECD can bring,' she said. SA faces a major access gap — more than a million children aged three to five are not enrolled in early learning programmes. Citing global research, Nwaneri said that for every rand spent on ECD, returns of up to 13% could be expected. 'These returns come from improved educational performance, increased employment opportunities, higher lifetime earnings and reduced social costs,' she said. Despite these benefits, SA allocates just 0.5% of its total government expenditure to early learning. 'This level of funding remains untenably low, and this will continue to limit the potential economic and social benefits that could be realised through more significant investment into the lives and development of SA's young children,' Nwaneri said. She noted that targeted ECD investment could generate 670,000 new jobs and empower women, who make up 95% of the ECD workforce. 'Studies suggest that each new ECD position enables six to 10 other women to pursue employment because they have reliable childcare,' she said. University of Johannesburg education expert Mary Metcalfe reinforced the urgency of the situation, highlighting the long-term consequences of poor foundational literacy. 'Children who cannot read for meaning by grade 4 fall further and further behind as the curriculum depends on the independent reading of text across all subjects,' she said, referencing the department of basic education's 2022 Systemic Evaluation, which found that only 20% of grade 3 pupils could read at the required level. Metcalfe said inequality in early reading success mirrored systemic inequalities: overcrowded classrooms, a lack of reading materials and under-resourced teachers. 'While the department of basic education aims for a limit of 45 learners in a class, in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape, more than 20% of grade 3 teachers reported having classes larger than 70. 'Only 46% of grade 3 children had language textbooks. Reading is not just about education; it's about justice and opportunity,' Metcalfe said. She called for targeted funding, better teacher support and widespread access to books in home languages as non-negotiable priorities. 'Investment in improving literacy in the foundation years must be a national priority. 'This must go beyond broad declarations of intent and be visible in evidence-based planning aligned to realistic assessments of resource needs,' she said. Both Nwaneri and Metcalfe argued that improving ECD and foundational literacy must be a national priority backed by strategic investment and public-private collaboration. 'This is not just the right thing to do socially, it's the smartest economic choice SA can make,' Nwaneri said. This special report into the state of literacy, a collaborative effort by The Herald, Sowetan and Daily Dispatch, was made possible by the Henry Nxumalo Foundation
