Who licenses nurseries in Bahrain?
In Bahrain, nurseries and kindergartens are licensed by the Ministry of Education. They moved there from the Ministry of Labour and Social Development in 2022, and Law No. 4 of 2026 classes them as private educational institutions. Ask to see a nursery's licence before you enrol.
Checked October 2026 · Sources
Who licenses nurseries in Bahrain
Nurseries and kindergartens in Bahrain are licensed by the Ministry of Education. They used to come under the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, and moved to the Education Ministry after amendments to the Child Law (Law No. 37 of 2012) approved in 2022, so that one ministry oversees early childhood from nursery to school. The Education Minister told Parliament that 110 licensed nurseries operated in Bahrain in the 2025-2026 school year, besides the private kindergartens.
"Stating the licence" counts the nurseries listed here that name the Ministry of Education as their licensing authority on their own website.
| Governorate | Regulator | Nurseries listed | Stating the licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Governorate | Ministry of EducationNurseries and kindergartens, Law No. 4 of 2026 | 26 | 0 |
| Manama | Ministry of EducationNurseries and kindergartens, Law No. 4 of 2026 | 19 | 0 |
| Southern Governorate | Ministry of EducationNurseries and kindergartens, Law No. 4 of 2026 | 11 | 0 |
| Muharraq | Ministry of EducationNurseries and kindergartens, Law No. 4 of 2026 | 11 | 0 |
The 2026 law
The Private Educational Institutions Law (Law No. 4 of 2026) came into force on 30 January 2026. It classes early childhood institutions, nurseries and kindergartens included, as private educational institutions, under one framework with private schools.
- A licence from the ministry. Opening a nursery or kindergarten needs a formal licence from the Ministry of Education.
- One year to align. Institutions that were already open have until 30 January 2027 to bring their legal, administrative and operational status in line with the new law.
- Older licences. Some nurseries still name the Ministry of Labour and Social Development on their website: that is where they were licensed before the move.
How to check a nursery's licence
- Ask to see it. A licensed nursery can show you its licence.
- Check the name matches. The name and address on the licence should match the nursery you're visiting, branch included.
- Read the contract first. Check the fees, the payment schedule and the refund terms before you pay a registration fee.
- On GulfNurseries, a nursery's page shows its licence when the nursery states it.
Questions parents ask
Who licenses nurseries in Bahrain?
The Ministry of Education. Nurseries and kindergartens moved to the Education Ministry from the Ministry of Labour and Social Development after amendments to the Child Law in 2022, and the Private Educational Institutions Law (Law No. 4 of 2026) classes them as private educational institutions that need a licence from the ministry.
How many licensed nurseries are there in Bahrain?
The Education Minister told Parliament that 110 licensed nurseries operated in Bahrain in the 2025-2026 school year, besides the private kindergartens.
What does the 2026 law mean for nurseries?
Law No. 4 of 2026 came into force on 30 January 2026 and brings nurseries and kindergartens under the same framework as other private educational institutions. Existing institutions have until 30 January 2027 to bring their status in line with it.
How do I check that a nursery in Bahrain is licensed?
Ask to see its licence from the Ministry of Education and check that the name and address match the branch you're visiting. If a nursery's website still names the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, it was licensed before the move.
Sources
Rules change: confirm them with the authority or the nursery, and tell us if something here is out of date.
- Al Tamimi: Bahrain's Private Educational Institutions Law (Law No. 4 of 2026), in force 30 January 2026, one year to align
- GDN: nurseries and kindergartens classed as private educational institutions under the new law (March 2026)
- GDN: Education Minister says 110 licensed nurseries operated in 2025-2026 (January 2026)
- Education Middle East: nurseries and kindergartens move from the Labour and Social Development Ministry to the Education Ministry (February 2022)