Early Childhood Care and Education

This study presents some of the major drivers and challenges encountered in policy planning for early childhood care and education (ECCE), an analysis of the evolution of ECCE policy planning in all world regions from before 2000 to the present, and data regarding the current national and regional distribution of ECCE policies, strategic plans and laws. As of July 2014, at least 68 countries had adopted one or more of these ECCE policy instruments.

This paper presents a thematic analysis of documents produced during a recent ‘Regional Policy Forum on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)’, attended by over 200 participants including representatives from key international donor organisations and high-level officials from over 30 countries across the Asia Pacific region.

This study investigates the emergence and supply-demand dynamics of a market for low-fee private schools (LFPS) at the level of early childhood care and education (ECCE) in a slum of Lusaka, Zambia. Based on data collection over 1.5 years, the study reveals that, despite a government policy to support ECE, over 90 per cent of ECCE centres are private; that school operators tend to be former teachers, businessmen/women, and religious leaders; and that LFPSs charge, on average, 2.5 times as much as government ECCE centres for tuition, not including additional indirect costs.

This paper explores early childhood care and development (ECCD) as the main foundation for child survival and holistic human development. It frames ECCD interventions and programmes as essential investments by governments, over the short-term and long-term, giving rise to benefits for children’s education, for children’s development and for parents. 

Ce document énumère les instruments internationaux qui se réfèrent au droit à l'éducation relatif à l'éducation et la protection de la petite enfance (EPPE) .

[ENGLISH]

This document lists the international instruments that refer to the right to education of early childhood care and education (ECCE).

[FRANÇAIS]

The Moscow Framework for Action and Cooperation was based on a review of challenges and progress made towards the Education for All (EFA) Goal 1 of expanding early childhood care and education (ECCE). Participants reaffirmed a commitment to ECCE as expressed in Jomtien (1990) and Dakar (2000) but concluded that EFA Goal 1 was at great risk of not being achieved by 2015 unless urgent and resolute action was taken. It noted the need to address relevant challenges by taking advantage of the existing knowledge base and good practices and taking steps to universalise the latter.

Le Cadre d'action et de coopération de Moscou est basé sur un examen des défis et des progrès réalisés en vue de l'objectif 1 de l'Éducation pour tous (EPT), à savoir développer l'éducation et la protection de la petite enfance (EPPE). Les participants ont réaffirmé l'engagement en faveur de l'EPPE exprimé à Jomtien (1990) et à Dakar (2000), mais ont conclu que l'objectif 1 de l'EPT risquait fort de ne pas être atteint d'ici 2015 si des mesures urgentes et résolues n'étaient pas prises.

Les objectifs de la recommandation sont: de développer un cadre et une compréhension commune dans toute l'Union Européenne de ce que constitue une prestation de services de bonne qualité en matière d'EPPE ; et de soutenir les États membres de l'UE dans leurs efforts pour améliorer l'accès à une EPPE de qualité.

The objectives of the recommendation are to: develop a common understanding across the EU of what constitutes good quality service provision with regard to ECCE; and support EU Member States in their efforts to improve access to and the quality of their ECCE systems. It outlines a set of recommendations to EU Member States and the EU Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, comprising ten quality statements structured along five broader areas of quality: access, staff, curriculum, monitoring and evaluation, and governance and finance.