Regional report for Asia-Pacific, education starts early, progress, challenges and opportunities

Despite progress, challenges remain in delivering quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) to all children before transitioning to primary school in the Asia-Pacific region. These challenges include disparities across the region on access and quality workforce, the impact of climate change, as well as environmental degradation risking the health and cognitive development of young children. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic also had a profound effect across the region with 70% of ECCE centres closed during the crisis.

This report, one of several regional studies, analyzes the achievements and progress, as well as highlights policies, practices, and innovations by exploring the ECCE sector in the Asia-Pacific region. It also presents two roadmaps to guide ECCE stakeholders in the region on the immediate learning recovery and on the longer-term ECCE transformation. The study emphasizes the need for inclusive and equitable ECCE, the strengthening of personnel, especially educators, innovations to build resilience and the importance of effective multi-sectoral governance and finance mechanisms.

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