4. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION – 111 Chapter 4 Early childhood care and pre-school education The provision of early childhood education and care varies widely between rural and urban areas. This chapter looks at the issues concerning ECEC, pre- and in- service training and curriculum. It also gives an overview of donor assistance and offers recommendations. KYRGYZ REPUBLIC 2010: LESSONS FROM PISA © OECD AND IBRD/THE WORLD BANK 2010 112 – 4. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION Terminology The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) defines pre-primary education (ISCED 0) as “programmes that offer structured, pur- poseful learning activities in a school or a centre (as distinct from the home), to children aged at least 3 years for (on average) at least two hours per day and 100 days per year”. This definition does not reflect other forms of early childhood care and education, for example for children below the age of 3 or children in non-formal or private settings; it also focuses on learning, whereas many infants and young children are in settings that offer child care but not necessarily “structured, purposeful education”. This chapter will cover both types of settings, because in many former-Soviet countries (including Kyrgyzstan) the two are often combined in the same institution. This review will use the term “Early Childhood Education and Care” (ECEC) as commonly used in OECD publications.1 An international overview Good-quality early childhood education and care is not just an end in itself. It also lays a strong foundation for later learning, and ensures that young children are physically, socially and developmentally prepared for entering formal schooling. Modern ECEC systems therefore have close links with primary education, but are also concerned with health care, nutrition, and early identification of children with special educational needs. Pre- primary education is thus a valuable investment; many governments have recognised this by making pre-school experience almost universal for chil- dren from the age of 3. Internationally, ECEC systems vary greatly in terms of age group served, number of years covered, type of provision (state or private), and content offered. In most cases participation is not obligatory, and early childhood care (up to the age of 3 or 4) tends to be the responsibility of Ministries of Health or Social Affairs. From the age of 3 or 4, Ministries of Education often assume responsibility, if not in terms of provision or financing then at least in terms of standards and (sometimes) curriculum content. Indeed, some coun- tries have integrated pre-school and primary curricula; for example in the Step by Step curriculum followed by many countries in Central and Eastern Europe, there is continuity from pre-school right through the first four years of primary. The most common period of coverage is three years (ages 4-6). On aver- age, the enrolment rate for 3 to 4-year-olds is 76.7% for the EU-19 countries2 whereas the OECD average is 69.4% (OECD, 2008, p. 339).3 KYRGYZ REPUBLIC 2010: LESSONS FROM PISA © OECD AND IBRD/THE WORLD BANK 2010 4. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION – 113 In terms of provision and financing, approaches vary from fully state- funded nursery schools (as in France, for children 3-4 up to school age); to part-time, education-oriented pre-school-entry kindergartens provided free by the state but no public care for younger children (as in England); to the “Nordic” model,4 which provides full-time, heavily subsidised care for 0-6 year olds under either the national Ministry of Social Affairs or the Ministry of Education and Science. Education for All and the Millennium Development Goals: early childhood The first Education for All (EFA) goal calls upon countries to expand and improve ECEC, through a comprehensive approach that includes care, health, and nutrition in addition to education. The initial EFA Declaration stated that “learning begins at birth”,5 and set up a framework for action calling for the expansion of ECEC especially for poor, disadvantaged and disabled children. Similarly, the UNICEF initiative “Eight is Too Late” aimed to bring more children and their parents or care-givers into contact with pre-school provi- sion, not only in the interests of education but to enable early identification of children with health, nutrition, and special-needs issues. This is of particular importance to rural and poor children, who often enrol late in primary school (in Kyrgyzstan, it may not be until the age of 8 in rural areas). These children are also least likely to have been enrolled in any type of pre-school. Kyrgyzstan has included school readiness-related activities in its Educa- tion for All-Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI) Catalytic Grant programmes up to 2012, in order to support the long-term goals of the Ministry’s Education Development Strategy 2008-2011 as well as its proposed Strategy 2011-2020. The FTI framework aims to stimulate government investment in early child- hood education as a means to help children make the transition into primary school. Research also shows (e.g. Janus 2008) that there is a positive asso- ciation between pre-primary participation rates, primary school completion rates (a key indicator for FTI), as well as higher achievement in secondary school: “The earlier in life the investment is made, the greater the pay-off” (Heckman, 2004). Early childhood education and care in Kyrgyzstan Legislation The Kyrgyz Government is well aware of the urgency of improving ECEC provision in the country, and recent legislative and normative actions reflect this concern. In 2004, the Government began to revise the policy framework; in February 2005 the Concept Paper on Pre-School Education was ratified, followed by the State Standard on Pre-school Education and KYRGYZ REPUBLIC 2010: LESSONS FROM PISA © OECD AND IBRD/THE WORLD BANK 2010 114 – 4. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION Care for a Child (2007). The new State Standard establishes the requirements for pre-school education and child care for children between 6 months and 7 years of age. It promotes community-based pre-schools or other alternative types, and requires equal access to pre-school services for all pre-school-age children in the Kyrgyz Republic (including state kindergartens). In 2006, with UNICEF’s support, the Code of the Kyrgyz Republic on Children was developed and adopted by Parliament. The Code (the first of its kind in Central Asia) incorporates into national law the norms and stand- ards found in UN instruments, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Based on this “Children’s Code”, a Department of Child Protection has been set up, reporting to the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. Most decisive of all, Parliament approved on 30 April 20096 the new Law on Pre-school Education. The new Law reflects the values and commitments of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, by guaranteeing children’s rights to pre-school education, protection of their health and well-being; free medical care and protection from any forms of exploitation and actions that are harmful to children’s health; and protection from physical and psychologi- cal abuse. In addition, the Law requires the State to provide social protection and support to children of pre-school age, orphans, and children deprived of parental care, children with special needs, and children from poor families (Article 21). Medical care and nutrition are also covered (Articles 22 and 23). The review team had the opportunity to meet with the Parliamentary Education Committee just before the formal adoption of the Law, and was greatly encouraged by the level of commitment shown during that meeting. However, it was not clear at that time whether the Ministry of Finance had given a firm undertaking to provide the additional allocations required by the new Law and by the State Standard. For example, according to calculations made by UNICEF, the reduction of the weekly teaching load from 36 to 30 hours, and from 30 to 25 hours in special-needs pre-schools; the fee-exemp- tion of parents who do not have regular earnings; the cost of enhanced nutri- tion; and the reduction (in rural areas) of parental contributions for food will all require additional state funding. The Law (Chapter 6, Article 24) simply states that “procedures for calculation of fees for attendance of pre-school education institution by children and their collection from parents will be approved in the order set forth by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.” The review team hopes that these procedures will not be contrary to the Law’s principle set out in Article 3 that it is state policy to provide “Accessible, high quality services” that can be sustainably developed. If these services are unaffordable for parents, they are clearly not “accessible” for them.7 KYRGYZ REPUBLIC 2010: LESSONS FROM PISA © OECD AND IBRD/THE WORLD BANK 2010 4. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION – 115 Responsible agencies There is a complex network of ministries and agencies that affect ECEC in Kyrgyzstan: The Government’s Department for Child Protection oversees the implementation of the Children’s Code, and by extension the enforce- ment of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Ministry of Health is responsible for the immunisation of chil- dren under 3, and collects data on primary health care at local level. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection is responsible for monthly allowances. The MOES is responsible for budget and policy planning and governs the requirements for pre-school teacher preparation, qualifications, salaries and working conditions.