Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1SEAMEO INNOTECH Research Updates
SIREP Report No. 5
Quality Assurance in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) in Southeast Asia
Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD): A Right and Indispensable Foundation for Lifelong Learning
Achieving quality in early childhood care and development (ECCD) in Southeast Asian countries is not far behind
Despite differences in culture, religion and government, Southeast Asian (SEA) nations have a
shared interest and growing passion transcending ethnic and national groups and boundaries in expanding ECCD programs and services.
A detailed discussion on each country’s efforts and challenges it faces to universalize ECCD programs and services without compromising quality is presented in the 2011 SEAMEO INNOTECH Report on ECCD Quality Assurance in Southeast Asia as part of the SEAMEO INNOTECH Regional Education Program (SIREP) for the said year.
Continued > > >
S E A M E O I N N OT E C H
RESEARCH Updates
2 SEAMEO INNOTECH Research Updates
Learning more about ECCDConsidered a right and an indispensable foundation for lifelong learning, there has been a documented increase worldwide in the number of children participating in pre-primary education or most often termed as ECCD (UNESCO, 2006). Based on the “2010 World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE): Building the Wealth of Nations,” SEA nations have adopted a broad and holistic concept of ECCE as the provision for care, education, health, nutrition, and protection of children aged zero to six years of age.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that education and development are highlighted as a primordial right of children, while the 2000 World Education Forum held in Dakar, Senegal likewise called for countries to uphold education for all, including the expansion and improvement of ECCE, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. The report also cites ECCE as “a contributing factor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as means to reduce poverty and the key to achieving MDG Goal 2, which is to Achieve Universal Primary Education by ensuring that, by 2015, all boys and girls will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.”
“Fortunately, there are countries that have exhibited that they are in the process of developing or in (the) early stages of quality
assurance such as Brunei Darussalam, Philippines and
Thailand. There are also countries which have gone ahead and set exemplary
quality assurance policies and practices such as Indonesia and
Malaysia.”
ECCD: Steps TakenThe report presented a comprehensive overview of the ECCD programs and services among SEA countries to distinguish their achievements in ensuring quality assurance.
The report related examples of specific ECCD regulations and legislation in Brunei Darussalam, Philippines and Thailand that pertain to ensuring quality assurance. To ensure delivery of quality ECCD programs and services in these countries, the following regulations are being implemented:
Country Regulations
Brunei Darussalam
• Child Care Centers Order 2006 and implementing regulations
• Child Care Center Regulations 2006
• Education Order 2003; and Education Regulation 2004
Philippines
• Early Childhood Care and Development Act
• National Early Learning Framework (NELF)
Thailand
• National Education Act of 1999
• Early Childhood/Basic Education Standards of 2005
3SEAMEO INNOTECH Research Updates
On the other hand, Malaysia and Indonesia are oftentimes viewed as frontrunners in the development of quality assurance frameworks in ECCD for the reason that these two countries have implemented the most number of quality assurance mechanisms through enacted regulations or legislation.
Country Quality Assurance Mechanisms and Regulations
Indonesia
• Framework of Indonesia ECE Development 2011-2025
• National Educational Standards
• Regulation of National Education Minister No. 58 Year 2009 regarding the Standard of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Malaysia
• Childcare Centers Act 1984, amended in 2007
• National Pre-School Curriculum
• Education Act of 1996
• National Education Policy 2004
• Quality Standard for Education in Malaysia – School (Standard Kualiti Pendidikan Malaysia-Sekolah, SKPM)
“The rest of the countries have policies that relate to ECCD in general but not particularly to ECCD quality assurance,” the report conveyed. What the countries have done is “carry out quality assurance through monitoring and evaluation tools, such as the case of Cambodia and Myanmar.”
Country Regulations
Cambodia
• Child Care Centers Order 2006 and implementing regulations
• Child Care Center Regulations 2006
• Education Order 2003; and Education Regulation 2004
Lao PDR
• National Education Law 2008
• National Holistic Early Childhood Development Policy
Myanmar • Child Law of 1993
Timor-Leste
• National Education Act (2008)
• National Education Policy 2007-2012
• The ECE Policy Framework is being formulated.
Vietnam• National Education
Law 2009 and National Standard in Kindergarten.
4 SEAMEO INNOTECH Research Updates
Setting the Standards for ECCDBased on ECCD policies reported by Southeast Asian ECCD experts, there are set standards on the various aspects of ECCD. However, the experts admitted that, “even the presence of standards does not guarantee quality as these standards must be complied with, monitored and evaluated.” The following are the standards that are commonly considered by the countries in Southeast Asia in ensuring quality of ECCD programs and services:
a. Learning and Assessment
“There should be a learning framework that provides the receommended learning areas or curricula content, learning standards or competencies and assessment for ECCD programs.”
b. Physical Facilities, Quality Resources and Environment
There should be standards that relate to the specific requirements and conditions for ECCD centers. This may include space and physical facilities, resources, and a safe and stimulating environment
c. Human Resources
i. Personnel
It is very important to hire the right people in order to achieve quality ECCD program and services by “setting the appropriate qualification standards or requirements for employment of ECCD organizational leaders, teachers and caregivers.” These may include teachers, principals, supervisors, caregivers, etc.
ii. Working conditions for ECCD Teachers
The working condition of ECCD teachers is a primary factor affecting the performance as educators and caregivers. For ECCD teachers, one of the main considerations is the number of hours they are required to render.
“SEA countries have their unique way of providing
ECCD programs and services to young children.”
iii. Professional development for ECCD Teachers
Professional development should not be overlooked as this will redound to greater performance of teachers in the long run.
iv. Performance assessment
“Some countries in Southeast Asia, in their bid to ensure that ECCD personnel are performing according to standards, have developed monitoring and evaluation instruments to assess individual and program performance.”
d. Program Management
Countries should ideally follow national ECCD standards for ECCD program management to effectively promote quality programs. It is imperative that countries remain faithful to norms, i.e. standard staffing, time periods of operation, and even how ECCD programs should be inspected, monitored and evaluated.
5SEAMEO INNOTECH Research Updates
Trailblazing Nations on ECCDIn totality, SEA countries have their unique way of providing ECCD programs and services to young children. Because of culture, geography, and government, these nations put in place notable quality assurance policies and practices that are innovative and contextually responsive. Some of these quality assurance and practices are listed in the table below:
Quality Assurance Policies & Practices Country
National Standards / Quality Indicators
IndonesiaMalaysiaMyanmarThailand
Curriculum standards Malaysia
Learning Assessment
Philippines“Assessment of
Development and Readiness for School”
Standards for Physical Setting and Resources
Malaysia“Specification on ECCD Facilities and Resources”
Personnel Qualification Standards
Malaysia“Standard of Malaysian
Teacher”
Personnel Development Programs
Indonesia“Advancement of Teacher Qualification and Compe-
tencies”
Malaysia“Childcare Courses”
Brunei Darussalam“Continuing Professional
Development”
Lao PDR“Preschool Courses for
Teachers”
Regulations / LegislationMalaysia
“Regulation for Setting up of Private Preschools”
Quality Assurance Policies & Practices Country
Monitoring, Evaluation and Accreditation
Indonesia“ECE Accreditation”
Thailand“External Quality
Assurance”
Malaysia“Defining Levels of Quality
Childcare”“Preschool Inspection”
Achieving Quality through Collaboration
Lao PDR“Linkages and Partnerships
on ECCD”
Recognizing Quality ECCD Services
Thailand“Special Awards for Performing Schools”
Model ECCD Centers
Lao PDR“Model Creshes and
Kindergarten”
Philippines“Model Preschools”
Indonesia“ECE Referral Institution”
Main Hurdles in ECCD Quality AssuranceThe report identified several challenges in implementing and sustaining ECCD Quality Assurance in SEA countries. While concerted efforts of the governments, private sectors, and non-government organizations, have led to the establishment of thousands of public and private ECCD centers in SEA, the report claims that “a major drawback is reaching a level of satisfaction when it comes to providing quality ECCD programs and services.”
6 SEAMEO INNOTECH Research Updates
The report states that “the provision of ECCD resources that deem (sic) childcare kindergarten accessible does not guarantee that quality ECCD services are delivered.”
A second problem is on raising the awareness level and understanding among stakeholders on the need for quality assurance. Creating awareness among policy makes on implementing quality integrated and holistic ECCD program will lay a foundation for young children’s full development.
A third issue is on the enforcement of quality standards among private sector ECCD services providers since not all countries have regulations for private entities that offer ECCD.
Other challenges include standardization and certification of ECCD personnel, limitations of regulators or assessors, harmonization of ECCD programs and services and support for low performing schools, pupils and teachers.
Research Studies UnitSEAMEO INNOTECHCommonwealthAvenue,Diliman,QuezonCityPhilippines1101
Tel:(632)924-7681to84Fax:(632)926-4455
Email:[email protected]
The report noted that countries that over rely on foreign assistance on implementing quality assurance mechanisms may face “repercussions primarily on the definition and dimension of quality, which may infuse foreign frameworks with inadequate regard for local context and appropriateness of these quality standards and processes for Southeast Asian realities.”
Attainment of the shared goal of quality in ECCD may not be too far off if the region can continuously pursue research and capacity building activities on ECCE quality assurance and teacher development. However, the need to sustain these measures is imperative. This includes ensuring the transfer or dissemination of technical know-how in quality assurance to ECCD educators and leaders.
The SIREP Report on “Quality Assurance in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) in Southeast Asia” can be accessed electronically through www.seameo-innotech.org.
