10 – 12 November 2026
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Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Saeed Halls 1, 2 & 3
Samia Khwaja
Head of Curriculum - Kids First Group
I am an education and compliance leader with over 20 years of experience across the UAE and North America. I served as Group Compliance and Standards Director at Kids First Group for 7 years, overseeing quality assurance and regulatory alignment across 36 nurseries, with more than 5,000 children and 1,000 staff. Currently I am serving as the Head of Curriculum at Kids First Group.
With a background that bridges Montessori education, early childhood development, and regulatory compliance, I have played a key role in building frameworks with ADEK and embedding sustainable, child-centered practices across multiple settings. I am a Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional – International (CCEP-I) and have led initiatives in academic standards, staff training, quality assruance , and parent engagement.
Passionate about creating inclusive learning environments, I bring both strategic oversight and hands-on experience in shaping educational ecosystems that prioritize child identity, wellbeing, and holistic development.
Speaker Sessions
GESS Talks Live
1628
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Panel Session: Quality in Early Childhood Panel by IECE
Session Summary:
This talk explores what "quality" truly means in early years education and beyond, beyond curriculum checklists, compliance, the classroom walls and extending it to the outside environment as well. The panel aims to share practical insights into building a culture of quality that is inclusive, reflective, and sustainable.
The discussion will highlight key drivers of quality, including responsive educator-child relationships, pedagogical approaches, continuous professional development, and strong parent partnerships. We will also discuss how structured leadership, process management, and thoughtful environment design contribute to ongoing quality enhancement.
This talk aims to inspire early years professionals and leaders to view quality not as a fixed goal, but as an evolving journey - one that requires collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to every child’s right to belong and thrive, high-quality early years education is a holistic approach one that lays the foundation not only for academic success, but also for emotional resilience, social awareness, and lifelong well-being, raising tolerant, confident individuals equipped to prosper in a diverse and evolving world.
Speakers:
May Zalat
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Inclusion Director - Kids First Group (KFG)
