Early Childhood Care and Education
©Yangxia Lee / Lao PDR
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is an integral part of basic education and represents the first and essential step in achieving the goals of Education for All. ECCE generally covers the age group of 0 to 8 years old, in other words, from birth to the first few years of primary education. In recognizing the multidimensionality of child development, quality ECCE provisions use a holistic approach, integrating health, nutrition and education in programmes for young children from the very beginning and at all stages.
Improving children's health and nutrition is necessary, especially in a situation where everyday, on an average, more than 26,000 children under age five die around the world, mostly from preventable causes. However, psycho-social and cognitive development of children in the earliest years of life is equally crucial in ensuring that a strong foundation for learning throughout life will be laid.
The importance of targeting young children prior to primary school age in order to reach Education for All was recognized in the World Declaration of Education for All agreed upon in Jomtien, Thailand in 1990 which stated that "Learning begins at birth" (Article 5).The focus on early childhood in EFA was expanded, reconfirmed and strengthened in the Dakar EFA Framework for Action a decade later with goal 1 which states:
"Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children".
A well conceived ECCE provision can be an effective strategy to meeting the diverse needs of young children. A holistic ECCE programmes are known to have the most benefits for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children by helping improve their chances of survival, of enrolment in primary school, of reducing the likelihood of having to repeat or drop out of school prior to completion. Programmes should not only support children to be ready for school but also make schools and teachers ready to welcome young children coming from diverse backgrounds and needs.
Recent world conferences and research testify to a growing appreciation of the need to support families and communities in their role as the child's most influential educator. The learning capacity and value orientations of children are largely determined by the time the child reaches the age of formal schooling. Therefore, ECCE involves working with parents and communities to strengthen their knowledge and skills regarding child development, education and child's rights, to develop, implement and monitor ECCE programmes in the best interest of the child. Any sustained effort in Education for All therefore must set targets and programmes for early childhood for both the young children and their caregivers.
Asia-Pacific is a region of great heterogeneity and cultural diversity, including countries at different stages of political and economic development. The region contains most of the world's poorest than some of its more affluent countries. Asia-Pacific's annual population increase makes it one of the most critical areas of the world, not only demographically, but also economically, socially and politically.
Despite the various socio-economic problems that the region encounters, education, care and other services for young children have improved over the past decades. In a number of countries, successful results have been achieved, in particular in the areas of health and nutrition: Many Asia -Pacific countries have taken initiatives to improve the lives of young children and their families. A majority of countries have started adopting and implementing comprehensive policies favourable to child care, education and development, in part as a response to the 1990 World Summit for Children. Nearly all countries in the Asia Pacific region have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).
The responsibility of caring for and assisting children, their families and communities in the region is shared by a variety of non-governmental and governmental organizations. Each of these organizations plays an important role in using the available resources to meet the health, welfare and educational needs of children and their families. Countries that have succeeded in mobilizing local governments, municipalities, communities and voluntary organizations in the care and education of young children have been able to decentralize and innovate in their educational systems.
