Abu Dhabi Executive Council (ADEC) plans to build six new schools and 15,000 new housing units over the next three years as part of the recently launched Abu Dhabi Development Accelerator Programme (Ghadan 21).

These projects are part of the AED50bn ($13.6bn) stimulus programme, which ADEC launched last week.

Ghadan 21 includes 10 initiatives across three vertical sectors: education and employment, housing and communities, and social support.

The schools programme covers the establishment of “six private high-quality, cost-effective schools”, providing 15,000 seats by 2021.

Under the programme, an equal number of seats will be made available in government charter schools by 2019, according to a statement carried by Emirates News Agency (WAM). “These initiatives will guarantee the expansion of the education capacity, while maintaining quality education,” the statement said, and claimed that the programme is expected to save every student AED20,000 annually.

Between 2018 and 2021, the government also aims to increase the number of housing loans provided to nationals to 5,000 a year, or double the current rate.

It is understood that the total housing budget under Ghadan 21 includes the AED3bn allocated to the development of basic community facilities at Khalifa City, Mohammed bin Zayed City, Shakhbout City and Zayed City.

Other initiatives under the programme include job creation for UAE nationals and a social investment fund to support projects that will have “a clear impact on the development of social services in the emirate.”