Empowering Early Education: Enhancing Access and Quality Through Innovative Approaches
Executive Summary
Preprimary education in the country is a priority for the government. Currently, there are 1497 pre-school organizations catering to 197,152 children. However, in 2019, only 25.4% of children aged 36-59 months were enrolled in organized early childhood education programmes nationwide. There are significant geographic disparities, with urban areas having a higher enrollment rate of 34.5%, compared to 20.6% in rural areas.To improve access to quality preprimary education, the government has been constructing new kindergartens and collaborating with partners to test and promote alternative ECD models. Government-established kindergartens provide full-day education and care for children aged 1 to 6, which is beneficial for working families. Traditional kindergartens are expensive and often lack sufficient capacity, especially in rural disadvantaged communities. To address the high demand and increase access to preprimary education, the Aga Khan Foundation, in collaboration with the government, introduced a shift approach in 2004. This model allows out-of-school children to attend existing kindergartens for half a day instead of a full day. The shift model has doubled access to preschool education, proved to be cost-effective for governments and families, and offers families more developmentally appropriate and flexible options. This model has been integrated into the national education strategy. Overall, efforts are being made to improve preprimary education access and quality through the establishment of new kindergartens and the implementation of alternative models like the shift approach.
Implementation
In Kyrgyzstan, government kindergartens provide full-day care and education for children aged 1-6. However, limited capacity has resulted in many children being unable to enroll. To address this issue, the Aga Khan Foundation and the government implemented shift models in existing kindergartens in 2004. These models included 3-hour preprimary classrooms in addition to full-day attendance. The preprimary classrooms, following the national programmes ´Balalyk´ and ´Nariste,´ cater to children aged 4 to 6 years old. To ensure quality education, teachers receive training and support to conduct extracurricular activities. With support from the Asian Development Bank and UNICEF, over 100 shift models were established, benefiting more than 2000 children. These models have now expanded nationwide, with 240-hour and 480-hour programmes preparing children for school. The Ministry of Education announced in December 2021 that an additional 500 kindergartens will adopt the shift model, further increasing access to preprimary education.
Stakeholders and partners involved
Aga Khan Foundation: Piloted the approach, provided technical and financial support, and continued supporting the government and local CSOs in programme expansion.
Local government (Ayil okmotu AO): Manages ECD centers, supports infrastructure maintenance, and collaborates with parents and the community.
District education departments: Assist in organizing and monitoring the teaching-learning process and provide methodological support.
Regional Teacher Training Institutes: Provide training for preschool teachers.
Parents: Provide support to teachers, help create teaching materials, participate in activities, and contribute to fees.
Other NGOs: Provide materials, organize training and events, and replicate the model in other areas.
Development partners: Provide financial support for programme expansion.
Impact
Impact on Children: Remarkable benefits on school readiness; Foster learning in an enjoyable and structured environment; Preparing children intellectually and socially for primary school; Exposure to a wide range of interactions and activities; Support language development and communication skills; Develop numeracy and literacy foundations for primary schoolImpact on Parents: Cost-effective for government and families; Provides a more developmentally appropriate and flexible pre-primary educational option; Doubled access to pre-school education
Innovations
Ensuring Access to Quality and Affordable Early Childhood Education
Key issue in ECD discourse in Kyrgyzstan: Developing programmes that are cost-effective and meet the needs of local communities. Government´s declaration of preschool education as a priority. The Law on Preschool Education (2009) emphasizes the need for affordable, high-quality services. Decree/Resolution 478 (2009) orders the inclusion of new types of preschool institutions in the official system. Country Development Strategy 2021-2030 calls for expansion of ´alternative models.´, State Standard on ECCE approved by the Government in 2012 and updated in 2020.
Constraints
Initial challenge: Working with parents.
Perception challenge: Kindergarten without meals and dormitory not seen as serious.
Solution: Agreement reached with communities for two half-day programmes and one full-day programme.
Result: All half-day groups now full with children.
Comprehensive and Impactful Early Childhood Development Framework Necessitates Active Parental Involvement, Strong Collaboration with Partners, Improved Inter-Institutional Coordination, and the Cultivation of Sustainable Capacity
Promote parental awareness and involvement:Increasing parental awareness about the benefits of early childhood education and involving them in decision-making processes will optimize the impact of ECD programmes. Strengthen official interaction with partners: The government seeks to enhance its collaboration with existing partners and establish new partnerships with local and international organizations. Improve coordination with institutions:Better coordination among institutions at local and national levels is vital for an effective ECD framework. By fostering collaboration between educational institutions, healthcare providers, and social welfare agencies, the government can ensure a comprehensive and integrated approach to early childhood development. Build capacity for sustainability:To establish sustainable ECD programmes, the government aims to build the capacity of beneficiaries, communities, administrative organizations, and governmental agencies. This involves providing training, resources, and support to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver high-quality education and services in the long run.