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Acknowledgements The Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education (PRC4ECCE) gratefully acknowledges the important contributions and participation that have enabled the development of the Pacific Guidelines for the Development of National Quality Framework for ECCE – Programming for Ages Three to Five: • Forum Education Ministers (FEdM) for supporting the idea of establishing the PR4ECCE in the Pacific Islands.
• Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) for their guidance, expertise and policy directions in the formation of the Council and ensuring that the guidelines articulate the PEDF indicators for ECCE in the broader sense.

• Directors of ECCE - for their commitment, perseverance and drive to ensure the National Quality ECCE Framework reflects the Pacific Early childhood sector are catered for according to the respective countries contexts and uniqueness.
• Pacific Island Countries and respective governments for allowing the participation of their ECCE staff so that they could impart their knowledge, skills and overall support to developing this document.
In addition, the following organizations provided support in their role as Advisory Board members to PRC4ECCE: • • Fiji National University for facilitating the initial consultation process with UNICEF Pacific in the establishment of the PRC4ECCE, and for providing advisory support to the Executive Board and continuous support to Council.

• University of the South Pacific and Australia Pacific Technical College – for sharing your • knowledge, experience and ideas in development of the document.
Implementing Partners in the Pacific Islands Region for ECCE – Save the Children -Australia and -Fiji and World Vision for sharing your knowledge, experience and ideas.

• Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) – sharing your knowledge, experience and ideas.

• Development Partners – Australian Aid and World Bank, for your financial support to individual countries for ECCE and for sharing your knowledge, experience and ideas.
The following are acknowledged for their support during the initial consultation phases: Macquarie University, PREL, UNESCO, Dr. KHOO Kim Choo, and Vasu Tuivaga.
PRC4ECCE would like to give special recognition to the following individuals: • Emmanuel Abrioux, former Chief of Education, UNICEF Pacific • Emma Pearson, Universiti Brunei Darussalam • Filipe Jitoko, Senior Policy Advisor (PIFS) • Ufemia Camaitoga, Head of Department, Early Childhood, Fiji National University • Wendy Rich-Orloff, ECD Specialist, UNICEF Pacific; PRC4ECCE Chair Their commitment, expertise, thoughtful contributions, and enthusiastic commitment brought this National Quality ECCE Framework into existence.
i Preface The Pacific Guidelines for the Development of National Quality Frameworks for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) document was produced by the Pacific region as the way forward for each country in the Pacific region.
This document is the culmination of input by ECE Directors, Coordinators or Officers within their own countries, with the support of Advisors from development partners, regional donors, academia, development, and research partners who are widely recognized throughout the Pacific region and globally for their technical and professional contribution, insight, experience, and quality of work in Early Childhood Care and Education.
The PRC4ECCE’s Pacific Guidelines for the Development of National Quality Frameworks for ECCE contains five components: 1.

Policy, Legislation and Governance encompasses strategy and regulation on how to support ECCE.

2.

Human Resources depict who will work with young children, what qualifications and training do they need and how they will be compensated.

3.
3.

Curriculum, Child Assessment and Environment describes how the children will be taught, what they are learning, and the best learning environments for young children.

4.

Performance Monitoring and Assessment illustrates how quality will be defined and monitored; this includes who provides oversight, what will be monitored, and how often monitoring should take place.

5.
5.

Family and Community Partnerships portray the relationship between government (oversight provision) and family and communities (ECCE centre ownership and implementation).
This document, a user-friendly guide with ideas and thought provoking questions, provides a starting point for countries to develop a national quality framework on ECCE that reflects the unique and cultural priorities for the individual country, incorporating regional and international benchmarks in progressively/ developmentally appropriate quality ECCE services.
The purpose of this document is to provide government ministries with a guide and possible structure they may choose to follow as they seek to strengthen quality and sustainable ECCE programming in their respective countries for three to five years old children.

These Guidelines are in alignment with the regional Pacific Education Development Framework indicators.
Executive Board, PRC4ECCE ii FOREWORD UNICEF Pacific was honoured by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) when, in 2010, the Forum Education Ministers requested UNICEF to become the first Secretariat of what has now become PRC4ECCE: Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education.

Understanding has grown globally of why investment and attention to ECCE is so important to every nation.
In 2008, at an Inter-American Development Bank meeting for economists and ministers of finance and planning, out of 49 areas of investment, “Investing in Early Childhood Development” was selected as their TOP PRIORITY.

They stated: “ECD is our most important investment for achieving social and economic development in our countries”.

Both economists and educationists know that investing in ECCE provides economic, educational, and social returns.
Early childhood education is crucial for school readiness strategy and for learning achievement throughout the school years – ensuring that children from low income families benefit from ECCE is a powerful tool in closing achievement gaps.

For example, achievement scores at age 5 predict test scores at age 18 (Heckman, 2008).

Cognitive ability and achievement at the end of grade 1 (based on participation in ECD services) predict later school achievement (Lancet, 2007, 2011).
Investments in early education are also an important part of a good economic development strategy.

Economists have calculated economic rates of return between 7% and 10% (and benefit-cost ratios from $3 to $17 for every $1 invested) for early education programmes serving children from low-income families.
The purpose of this Regional Framework is to provide guidelines to country governments on how to develop and support a multi-sectoral approach to ECCE in order to provide coordinated, quality services for young children aged 3-5 years that address relevant issues such as development (language, motor, culture, social-emotional, and thinking skills), health, nutrition, child protection, and positive parenting.

This document is not prescriptive or proscriptive.


Rather, it is a tool for country stakeholders to engage each other in conversation, identify country and culture-specific actions that best serve the holistic development of their young children, and then implement and monitor.
This document encourages countries to look at ECCE as a multi-sectoral approach, and as a sub-sector within Ministries of Education addressing all related system components: Policy, Legislation and Governance; Human Resources; Curriculum, Child Assessment and Environment; Performance Monitoring and Assessment; and Family and Community Partnerships.
Governments should feel confident that no matter who is providing ECCE services -- government, civil society or private sector -- that they are meeting quality service standards that promote equity.

UNICEF would like to express its sincere appreciate and respect to the Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education for the development of this important document.
It is a product of commitment and cooperative work by Country Representatives, Advisory Board Members and others mentioned in the Acknowledgements, and a strong testament to the importance of ECCE.

Unite for children.
Unite for children.

Karen B. Allen, Ph.D. UNICEF Representative, Pacific Island Countries Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu iii Contents Acknowledgements Preface Foreword Acronyms Disclaimer: Glossary Background Who PRC4ECCE is as our logo: INTRODUCTION Why should countries invest in early childhood care and education?

What is a ‘national quality framework’?
The Role of Existing Frameworks in Development of ECCE National Quality Frameworks Concepts and Terminology Guidelines Context of Quality Framework Methodology for Development of Framework Principles Key Components: Elements and Benchmarks Component One - Policy, Legislation and Governance Policy & Legislation Elements Funding and Costing Elements Governance Elements Human Resources Elements Curriculum, Child Assessment and Environment Elements Component Two – Human Resources Teacher Education / Qualification/ Ongoing Professional Development elements Recruitment / Retention Teacher professionalism i ii iii vi X vii xi 1 iv Component Three – Curriculum, Child Assessment & Environment Vision / Principles Development of the Curriculum Delivery of Curriculum Child Assessment Environment Component Four - Performance Monitoring and Assessment Possible areas for consideration Component Five - Family and Community Partnerships Strategic Communication ”Every Voice Matters” Community Ownership of ECCE Parent and Teacher Associations (PTAs) School/Centre-Based Management (S/CBM) Conclusion Annex 1: PEDF Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - ECE Annex 2: PEDF M&E Framework Indicators - ECE ANNEX 3: Template for content / structure of a National Quality ECCE Framework Annex 4: Zero to Three Considerations 27 28 29 29 31 32 35 36 41 41 42 42 43 43 45 46 47 49 57 Zero to Three Programming Considerations in 57 Policy, Legislation, and Governance Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Human Resources 57 Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Monitoring and Assessment Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Family and Community Partnerships 58 58 59 Annex 5: Minimum Standards - Examples Annex 6: PRC4ECCE Participants Involved in Document Creation References 59 62 64 v Acronyms DRR EC ECCE EFA EiE ELDS EMIS Family Unit FBO FEdMM HOD M&E MDG MOA/MOU MOE MOF MOPH NGO NQF OHS
 PAF PEDF PHES PIFS PRC4ECCE PTA S/CBM SABER SPLICES TIC UNCRC UNESCO UNICEF WASH Disaster Risk and Reduction Early Childhood Early Childhood Care and Education Education for All Education in Emergencies Early Learning Development Standards Education Management Information Systems Guardian, parents, caregivers, nannies, extended family Faith Based Organization Forum Education Ministers Meeting Head of Departments Monitoring and Evaluation Millennium Development Goals Memorandum of Agreement / Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Education Ministry of Finance Ministry of Public Health Non-governmental organization National Quality Framework Occupational Health and Safety Performance Assessment Framework Pacific Education Development Framework Pacific Heads of Education Systems Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education Parent and Teacher Associations School/Centre Based Management Systems Approach for Better Education Results Social, Physical, Language, Intellectual, Culture, Emotional, and Spiritual (Development) Teacher in Charge United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization United Nations Children’s Fund Water, Sanitation and Hygiene vi Glossary Age-Appropriate For the purpose of this Framework, ages 3-5 years Benchmark / Standards Set level of achievement Care Access to proper health/immunizations, nutrition, water supply and sanitation, child protection, healthy environment free from abuse and neglect.
Centre-Based program Children come together under supervision of a qualified adult in a set child-friendly learning environment.

Can also be used to define a play- based program.

Certification / Qualification The achievement of required pre-service and/ Child protection Development Developmentally Appropriate or in-service training/education goals.

Levels of certification to be set by individual countries.
Protection from any form of abuse and neglect, including: physical, sexual, verbal, emotional abuse.

This also includes the provision of positive parenting and appropriate health and nutrition.

Ongoing support for the child’s holistic development in physical health and growth, as well as social-emotional, language, cultural, self- care, and thinking skills Activities are culturally and age appropriate, as well as based on child’s individual abilities and stages of growth.
Disparate Systems Incompatible, or systematically different systems ECD/ECCD/ECE/ECCE Early Childhood Development Early Childhood Care and Development Early Childhood Education Early Childhood Care and Education * For the purposes of this document, ECCE will be used with the understanding that it could mean any of the above.

vii ECCE Teacher A suitably qualified individual employed to provide care and education to children in a registered, out-of- home facility.
In developing a national quality framework, individual countries will need to consider the various roles of early childhood professionals in their own contexts and develop a clear definition of the ‘ECCE teacher’ or ‘ECCE caregiver’ for the purposes of their framework.
Education Commonly focuses more on cognitive and school readiness skills around literacy and numeracy Education Act Law that governs education systems within individual countries EiE EMIS Framework Guidelines Home-Based program Human Resources Inclusion Education in Emergencies.

The planning for the resumption and delivery of education services immediately after an emergency response (if possible) and during the recovery phase.

Education Management Information Systems.


The system Ministries of Education across the region use to collect and track data about student achievement, teacher performance, enrolment, access, and other indicators.

A basic conceptual structure (as of ideas).

Rule or instruction that shows or tells how something should be done.

An ECCE program in which a qualified adult works with the child(ren) and parents/family in the family home.
Holistic Looking at the child’s development and learning in an overall, encompassing way.

This takes into account all areas of development and growth.

All human contribution which facilitates teaching and learning.

Includes all those involved in ECCE, from parents, teachers, caregivers, community members, etc.
All children are included, regardless of ability/ disability, ethnicity, race, gender, religion, background, socioeconomic family level viii Integration Bringing all separate components together to make a stronger whole.

Parenting Education Support to parents, and providing information to families on how to support their child’s development and their role as parents.
Peace Building Engaging young children, parents, and communities in fostering and maintaining peace, through supporting positive social and societal interactions and critical emotional skill development.

Principle Policy A comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, and/or assumption.
A definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions; a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures of a group.
Quality The implementation of minimum set of standards as required by each country Remuneration Teacher salary, grants, and/or incentives Staff All individuals directly involved in services for young children and families (to be defined further by country) Talanoa Conversation, dialogue ix Disclaimer: These Guidelines, developed with the Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education, are written mainly from the perspective of centre programs serving ages 3-5 in order to be in line with regional priorities and initiatives, and to link with the Pacific Education Development Forum’s current ECCE regional indicators.
This does not in any way imply that countries should limit themselves to serving this age range only, or use formal centres as the only mode of services.

PRC4ECCE recognizes that quality ECCE programming for the 0-3 year age group requires additional coordination and discussion with other stakeholders .
Annex 4 provides some indicative ideas within the current system component Framework on how to address 0-3, with the intention that a forthcoming guide for a quality 0-3 ECCE framework will be developed though engagement with additional stakeholders.

x Background The practice of early childhood care and education has been in some form throughout the Pacific Islands region for decades.

In March 2007, a regional workshop was the first attempt to take a regional approach to supporting ECCE.
This workshop, organized by the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA) and co-sponsored with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), Pacific Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of basic Education (PRIDE), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), UNESCO and UNICEF, brought together government policy-makers and NGOs engaged in ECCE in the 14 Pacific Island Forum countries.
The establishment of the Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education (PRC4ECCE) was approved following the acceptance of a paper on “ECCE in the Pacific” at FEdMM in Papua New Guinea, 2010.

A Regional Consultation meeting was held in July 2011 to set out the Terms of Reference (TOR) and a strategic plan for the Council.

xi The PRC4ECCE logo: This logo was developed through a creative, consultative process with all PRC4ECCE members.
• The acronym PRC4ECCE: Both numbers and letters were used to represent the importance of early literacy and numeracy in ECCE.

• The tagline “invest in early childhood” was chosen to highlight the importance and acknowledgementof research showing the greatest returns on investment during the early years.

• The footprint represents a child, taking its first steps and the journey of development the child is on.
The 5 toes of the foot represent both the 5 system components of quality ECCE as well as the 5 goals of PRC4ECCE.

• The shells represent the Pacific Island Countries represented in the PRC4ECCE.

• The colour green represents the importance environment, both indoor and outdoor, play in quality ECCE, as well as the importance of environmental sustainability and stewardship in the Pacific Region.

2012 was significant in the development of regional guidelines for an ECCE framework.
A March 2012 workshop discussed the concept of “quality” – what it means and how it can be contextualized for the Pacific Region – and was defined through the identification of five system components which have been found to interact and comprise a quality ECCE framework.

This workshop prompted the creation of this document, which was developed and extensively reviewed during subsequent PRC4ECCE workshops (November 2012, March and November 2013).
The guidelines provided in this document are organized around the five suggested components which provide the impetus and foundation for quality implementation, namely; 1 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Policy/Legislation & Governance – overall strategy and regulations on how to support ECCE.

Human Resources - who will work with young children, what qualifications do they need, how they will be compensated, etc.
Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment - what will be done with the children, how will they be taught, using what, where, etc.

Performance Monitoring and Assessment – how will quality be defined and ensured, who provides oversight, what will be monitored and how often, using what tools, etc.

; and how monitoring and assessment results will feed back into planning and implementation.
Family and Community Partnerships - how community ownership and oversight will be maintained; community and government coordination, etc.

Children singing in Samoa 2 Introduction The purpose of this document is to provide government Ministries with a possible structure they may choose to follow as they seek to strengthen quality and sustainable Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programming in their country.
This document was produced by Pacific Regional Council for ECCE (PRC4ECCE) members as a regional tool for use across the Pacific Island Countries, and will need to be adapted to suit individual national needs and interests, as it is important to combine a “global” world view of best practices with national values/priorities.

This can be used to audit and review existing Frameworks, policies, and systems for quality; as well as use as a “living document” to plan for and then monitor future implementation.
The document provides a possible structure for developing a National Quality ECCE Framework around the system components of Policy/Legislation & Governance, Human Resources, Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment; Performance Monitoring and Assessment; and Family and Community Partnerships (see Annex 3).

This document includes thought-provoking considerations / questions to be discussed within the country level with a variety of ECCE stakeholders around each component.
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is internationally recognized as the continuum of appropriate prenatal care and birth to the age of eight years (0-8).

It is a combination of all the following aspects: • Care – access to proper health/ immunizations, nutrition, child protection, healthy environment free from abuse and neglect.
Children playing with natural resources in Niue • Development – support for the child’s holistic development in physical health and growth, as well as social-emotional, language, cultural, self-care, and thinking skills.

This can also be described as SPLICES: Social, Physical, Language, Intellectual, Culture, Emotional, and Spiritual.

• Education – commonly focuses more on cognitive and school readiness skills, including pre-literacy and pre-numeracy, paying attention, pre- science, and problem solving.
Acknowledged as constituting a key element of national development in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education For All (EFA), early childhood care and education have received considerable attention world-wide in recent decades.

In response to the resultant quantitative growth in early childhood care and education programs globally, several recent monitoring reports have called for greater focus on issues regarding ‘quality’ in ECCE (UNESCO, 2004, and UNESCO and UNICEF, 2012).
The guidelines presented here respond to such calls, taking a “best practice” approach by including care, development, and education, and provide a starting point from which countries across the Pacific can develop quality 3 frameworks for ECCE that reflect unique, country-based and cultural priorities, as well as incorporating international benchmarks for quality in the provision of ECCE services.
Vision: Children across the Pacific reach their full potential through region-wide investment in high quality and sustainable early childhood care and education (ECCE) programmes and initiatives Mission: To provide direction to national and regional level initiatives in high quality, inclusive and equitable ECCE programmes by enabling and promoting effective coordination, sharing, dissemination, and use of relevant research, resources, and documented best practices.
It was a conscious decision by the PRC4ECCE to provide these guidelines rather than develop a complete Regional Framework or a model.

This was done to acknowledge the differences within each individual country, and to respect each individual country’s needs and context.

It is intended that each Pacific Island Country will use these Guidelines as a tool to review existing ECCE documents and procedures for identification and implementation of areas for improvement.
It is the hope of PRC4ECCE that countries will use these Guidelines to develop National ECCE Frameworks in order to support achievement in regional ECCE indicators proposed by the Pacific Education Development Framework (PEDF) (see Annex 1) , which will be tracked within each country’s education management and information systems (EMIS).

It is recommended that countries take a baseline of ECCE using the PEDF indicators, and then use EMIS to track the impact of the ECCE Quality Framework.
Why should countries invest in early childhood care and education?

Countries often do not want to invest in early childhood care and education programs.

Some argue that it is the sole responsibility of parents and/or communities.

Others argue that there are more pressing funding needs in higher education and or other social services.

However, investing in early childhood services produces the highest rate of return on investment!

Why?
Why?

As Professor James Heckman, winner of the Economics Nobel Prize, clearly demonstrates, 1.

2.

3.

Intelligence and social skills develop at early ages – which are both essential to success.

Early investment brings the greatest returns in human capital.

Quality economic returns come from quality investment in ECCE.

Invest Develop Gain Sustain 4 What is a ‘national quality framework’?
A majority of countries across the Pacific have developed policies on ECCE and many have established ECCE guidelines, for example on curriculum.

Quality ECCE frameworks differ in that they provide broader guidelines / criteria across all areas of policy, planning and delivery that interact to ensure effective implementation, monitoring and review across various aspects of the ECCE sector.
Quality frameworks also provide more in-depth, evidence-based guidance related to quality assurance and (ii) acknowledge the contribution of various components to effective implementation, monitoring and review of ECCE-related initiatives.

The guidelines provided in this document are organized around 5 suggested components which have been found to interact and comprise a quality ECCE framework, namely; 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
2.

3.

4.

5.

Policy/Legislation & Governance – overall strategy and regulations on how to support ECCE.

Human Resources - who will work with young children, what qualifications do they need, how they will be compensated, etc.

Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment – what will be done with the children, how will they be taught, using what, where, etc.
Performance Monitoring and Assessment – how will quality be defined and ensured, who provides oversight, what will be monitored and how often, using what tools, etc.

; and how monitoring and assessment results will feed back into planning and implementation.

Family and Community Partnerships – how community ownership and oversight will be maintained; community and government coordination, etc.

As shown in the below diagram, each system component is equally important for the implementation of quality ECE.
Human Resources Policy Legislation Governance Performance Monitoring and Assessment Curriculum Child Assssment, Enviroment Quality ECE Family and Community Partnerships 5 These components are defined and expanded throughout the rest of the document, by using guiding questions to highlight what might be considered to be important areas of consideration for each component.
National quality frameworks for ECCE should be accessible to teachers, parents, families, and communities and other key stakeholders, to enable them to make and support key decisions in the provision of ECCE, both in terms of their own children and in terms of decision-making at national level.

It is important to make clear that the guidelines are designed to serve as a guide, and their use is voluntary.
They are not intended to be used without some form of modification / adaptation to suit local and national contexts.

It is equally important to emphasize strongly that the guiding questions used to draw attention to possible areas of importance within each of the 5 suggested components are only indicative in nature and should be modified by individual countries.
As Blumberg (2006, p. 106) points out in the 2007 EFA Global Monitoring Report: “All societies have arrangements for educating their young children.
These arrangements have evolved over time and are diverse across cultures, in keeping with differences in family and community structures……” As well as having unique cultural needs, countries will differ in their stage of ECCE development, resources available and formal support, so the components that are prioritized by one country may differ from those that are of most interest in another.
Countries are therefore encouraged to adapt the template suggested here, but may find it useful as a general structure / reference point in the process of developing individual national frameworks.

The Role of Existing Frameworks in Development of ECCE National Quality Frameworks As stated above, this document acknowledges and draws attention to the importance of existing frameworks, policies or guidance documents at regional and national level, to inform development of national ECCE quality frameworks.
Much work has been done by countries across the Pacific in developing early childhood policies and curricula.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) has outlined a strategic plan for education across the region through the Pacific Education Development Framework (PEDF) .

The PEDF has set targets for ECCE that should be referred to in the process of establishing national quality frameworks.
Countries also may have in place communication networks among teachers and families and communities; governance structures; monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and other important support structures in the provision of ECCE.

Existing policies and structures should be reviewed and incorporated, as appropriate, into a national quality ECCE framework, for both alignment and strengthening purposes.
Children playing with sand in Cook Islands 6 The purpose of compiling all these existing policies and structures into one formal National ECCE Framework is multiple: the process helps in identifying gaps in the overall sub-sector for further planning and policy development; serves to align both activities as well as accountability; and advocates a greater professionalism with the sub-sector.
Concepts and Terminology The concept of ‘quality’ in ECCE is highly complex and has attracted considerable global debate.
For example, Myers (2006) summarizes two quite different approaches to defining and measuring quality in ECCE that dominate contemporary discussions: the ‘modern’ perspective, which assumes that quality is easily definable, objective and measurable through pre-determined standards, contrasted with the ‘post- modern’ perspective, which highlights subjective aspects of quality, diversity in perspectives, shifting priorities and challenges associated with standard-setting.
In general, consideration of both these approaches is important in developing national quality frameworks for ECCE.

National concepts of quality must reflect in- country values and priorities.

Standards for quality can then be refined to fit with and complement national priorities.
As Myers (2006, p. 31) indicates: “If the characteristics and processes of an educational environment are not consistent with the kind of world, country and citizenry desired, as set out in national documents and curricula, and/or with widely agreed-upon rights for children, it is difficult to say that the program is of high quality.” Examples of some Pacific Island principles: • • • Mother tongue languages must be incorporated into curricula until Class 3 Primary (Tonga).
Strengthening and promoting community partnership; Engaging students and developing a responsive curriculum (Outcomes 5 &6, The MoE Strategic plans, Fiji).

Curriculum is implemented using a play-based approach (Nauru).

In developing a national quality framework, each country should carefully choose terminology that fits with national, stakeholder and community perspectives on program provision.
For example, in a national project designed to identify country-specific early learning and development goals, Fiji (like other countries around the world) struggled with the use of the word ‘standards’, believing it to signify a set of statements of performance that might marginalize groups of children.
In providing a framework for monitoring and assessing quality, however, it is necessary to clearly identify benchmarks that can be used by stakeholders to ensure that their services / policies / practices are aligned with elements of high quality ECCE provision.

These benchmarks should, as far as possible, be based on evidence (found in published reports; anecdotal information from teachers and caregivers; existing monitoring and assessment frameworks, etc.).
National ECCE quality frameworks are developed around core ‘principles’ that highlight national priorities and guide the establishment of ‘benchmarks’ or criteria for high quality ECCE policy, planning and delivery.

These 7 benchmarks are commonly organized, for purposes of clarity, into key areas, or components, of ECCE that reflect the various aspects of policy, planning and practice that are required for effective delivery of services.
As countries design their National ECCE Framework, some principles which could be determined early, and which will help drive decisions in other areas (to be determined by countries), be: • The determination of age range ECCE programming will encompass (birth-5 or 6 years, 3 years - 5 or 6, birth-3 years, include prenatal women and fathers or not….
); The importance of both mothers and fathers, as well as extended family members as primary caregivers; How different Ministries, NGOs, and civil society might be working together (Ministries responsible for issues of health, education, women/ gender, finance, etc.
); Mode of services (home-based or centre-based; informal day care/ playgroups or preschool; parenting partnerships and guidance included or not); and Reconciliation between disparate systems (registered/unregistered centres, qualified/certified vs. unqualified/uncertified teachers).

• • • • These principal ideas are applicable inclusively; for all centres, regardless of whether they are registered or not; and for all teachers, qualified, registered, certified, or not.
National ECCE Frameworks should not be limited to describing what is currently happening, but MUST include where and how the country wants to move forward in the sub-sector, as well as provide a broad picture of who the primary actors (stakeholders) will be for future strategic planning and implementation.

An overall 3-year, 5-year, 10-year strategic plan should be included on how to implement future Framework components to help countries coordinate activities.
8 National oversight and procedures currently in place Existing ECCE Policy Existing ECCE Curriculum which is consistently available and used by all ECCE teachers Monitoring and evaluation procedure for ECCE Accredited teacher training program in ECCE (certificate; diploma; degree or other) PEDF Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and ECCE Indicators Country Vanuatu; Nauru; Fiji; Solomon Islands; Tonga, Niue; Tuvalu; Kiribati Fiji; Samoa; Niue; Nauru; Cook Islands; Solomon Islands; Vanuatu Niue; Cook Islands; Solomon Islands; Tonga; Samoa; Fiji; Nauru Vanuatu; Fiji; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Niue; Tonga; Nauru; Cook Islands See Annex 2 Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu 9 If the private sector, development aid organizations, donors, and/or non-governmental agencies are also involved in the ECCE sub-sector, countries should explore how to engage these other stakeholders in achieving overall Framework activities.
The Framework can be used to harmonize aid, delegate and coordinate activities, and ensure the private and/or NGO sectors are following practices as identified by the country Ministries.

Every voice matters when seeking to implement and improve ECCE.

Parents, leaders, management committees, faith- community members, community based groups, children, implementing partners, stakeholders, government, health workers….

The list goes on.
The list goes on.

It is up to each country to identify who will be involved, ensuring that all voices are represented.

Guidelines World Bank and UNICEF Pacific provide, through World Bank’s SABER -ECD (Systems for Better Education Results Approach – Early Childhood Development) and UNICEF Pacific’s ECE-NSA (Early Childhood Education – National Situation Assessment), a complete situational analysis of all 5 system components within existing structures.
Results of this situational analysis can then be used with this Guideline to update an overall ECCE Framework.

During the analysis as well as Framework design, all stakeholders should be engaged throughout the entire process – Ministries of Education (including curriculum, data management, monitoring units), Health, Social Welfare, Community, and/ or Women ; faith-based organizations and/or NGOs who run ECCE programming; teacher training programs; parents; families and communities.
This Guideline, along with the template (Annex 3), can be used to guide stakeholder discussions and planning.

Children playing in a toy car in Solomon Islands Context of Quality Framework This section of the national quality users with framework provides information important background about the particular purpose and nature of ‘quality’ in ECCE in your country.
It might include an historical background to ECCE development in the country, along with an overview of the current situation, recent developments and key issues driving the need for a quality framework.
10 Children reading in Niue Included in this section might be (i) a summary of important policies, legislation and or initiatives that have contributed to a current focus on quality in your country; (ii) current perspectives of stakeholders involved in identifying the particular aspects of ‘quality’ that are relevant to your country; (iii) a summary of the national and international evidence-base that has been used in developing the quality framework (this might include reports; published research; information from past monitoring and assessment data; anecdotal information from stakeholders, and other sources); (iv) the regional context of ECCE – what recent developments have influenced national initiatives.
Methodology for Development of Framework The overview section of the quality framework provides users with information about how the quality framework was developed, who was consulted, and the key stages undertaken.
Information that might be included in this section includes (i) details about the committee responsible for writing the framework; (ii) stakeholders consulted in the process of developing the framework (a wide consultation process is likely to lead to greater ownership and familiarity with the quality framework and, subsequently, smoother implementation); (iii) an overview of the development process: drafting; consultation; review etc., (iv) a summary of key ideas / perspectives that shaped the development of the quality framework , with a focus on outlining how community partnerships have played a role in shaping the framework.
While component four addresses performance monitoring and assessment directly, it focuses on teacher performance in the classroom and monitoring of classroom quality.

Countries should identify how the overall Framework will be monitored.

All aspects across the overall national quality framework will need to be included into each country’s existing monitoring and evaluation model to ensure that issues are being addressed, and planned activities are being implemented.
Principles This section of the framework sets out the key principles that have guided development of the framework.

These principles reflect your country’s unique position on ECCE and clearly articulate the country’s priorities for ECCE provision.

Key Components: Elements and Benchmarks The Key Components, Elements and Benchmarks provide detailed information that clearly articulates goals for quality provision in each of the components outlined in the national quality framework.
For each component, an overarching statement of purpose or intention is useful, to explain its importance for delivery of quality services.

For each component, a clear, detailed set of statements of benchmarks should be identified and explained.
11 Country Philippines Australia Nauru Vanuatu Fiji FSM Examples of existing quality Frameworks Republic Act for ECCD Has an existing Framework focusing on “early years” Has a Curriculum Framework, addressing one component As of March 2013, is drafting a National ECCE Framework National Curriculum Framework Minimum Standards for Student Learning Outcomes Policy includes ECCE In the following section of this document, guidelines for the 5 components are framed around ‘points of consideration’, or questions.
These are designed to assist countries in identifying areas of importance to them and developing benchmarks that will provide clear, detailed information about goals for quality provision for stakeholders and service providers.

13 Component One - Policy, Legislation and Governance Description: Clearly established governance of policy and legislation, along with strong mechanisms for financial support, are essential for provision of quality ECCE services.
A policy strives to improve quality programming services by providing guidelines on how to implement legislation.

Legislation supportive of equity for the most disadvantaged communities can help ensure financing, human resources and teaching and learning materials reach those most in need of early childhood care and development services.
Stakeholders to include: Ministry of Education (including those dealing with curriculum, data collection, human resources, teacher training), Ministry of Finance, faith-based organizations, and village leaders/community.
Examples of quality indicators for policy and legislation are those that give clear direction for implementation, and include: • • • • Clear expectations, indicators, and timelines for achievement Strong linkages and defined roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders (with agreement by those concerned) It is recommended that policies be reviewed (suggested every 3 or 5 years) to ensure that relevancy and researched best practice is maintained.
Strong integration of child protection policy/principles and linked to UNCRC.

This includes countries ratifying Optional UNCRC Protocols (such as Sale of Children, and Armed Conflict).

Following are guiding questions to help national level discussions around ECCE policy and legislation.

Policy & Legislation Elements What is your overarching statement of purpose or intention for Policy and Legislation?

Possible areas for consideration in developing benchmarks: • • Is ECCE reflected in the Education Act?
Are the definition of ECCE and related roles / responsibilities of ministries and personnel clearly articulated and defined in policy and legislation?

• Do identified roles/responsibilities include during emergencies?

Children play with puzzles in Tonga 14 • • • Are private sector stakeholders (NGO’s; churches; other organizations) involved in the delivery of quality services?

If so, how is this regulated?

Are key stakeholders clearly defined in ECCE policy (i.e.
government ministries; NGO’s; FBO’s) Is the national ECCE policy aligned with existing or planned legislation (i.e.

included in Education Act, aligned with UNCRC?)

• Do you have a child Protection Policy in Place?

If so, how has it being implemented?

Is it clear that it is understood by those who work with children?

Is there a policy on corporal punishment?

Any written guidance on recognizing and responding to protection concerns?

Focal persons in place to respond to CP incidents?


Counselling services?

Medical services?

Home visits by teachers (both informal/formal basis), specialized service providers?

• • • Are policies and legislation realistic and sustainable?

How are policies and legislation enacted / implemented?

Are there any processes for non-compliance?


Have the funding mechanisms for implementing the national ECCE policy been identified and established prior to submitting to cabinet for approval (if not, what subsequent measures have been taken)?

Have specific funding targets been set for ECCE provision?

Have implementation plans for national ECCE policy been established prior to submitting to cabinet for approval (if not, what subsequent measures have been taken)?
Have target dates been set for action plans?

Have action priorities been set (to ensure comprehensive, step-by-step implementation of national ECCE policy)?

Have wide range of stakeholders (such as child protection, health, children with disabilities, etc.)

been consulted in development of national ECCE policy and action plans (to ensure shared decision making, ownership, empowerment of stakeholders and acknowledgment of stakeholder contributions / role)?
• • • • • • A well-equipped centre in Nauru • • • Have plans been made for dissemination of ECCE policy and action plans?

Is there clarity in understanding of ‘legislation’ and ‘policy’ among ECCE officers / directors / teachers?

• • • Roles and responsibilities at each level?

Does this include grievance process?

system in place for performance appraisal with appropriate follow through based on appraisal results • i.e.
– reward, mentoring, further training….. • Is gender sensitivity well-articulated in ECCE plans and policies?

At time of enrolment, is child birth registration and health record/card checked?

If child does not have registration or is not up to date on health/ immunizations, is there a system in place to refer the family for these services?
15 • • Is there a system in place to either provide health/growth monitoring within the ECCE centre (for example, monthly visits to ECCE centres by local health clinic workers/nurses), or is there a system in place to link the ECCE centres to local clinics for ongoing health/growth monitoring support?
It should be noted that, while countries are encouraged to facilitate health and immunization monitoring through ECCE programs, lack of documentation should not be used as a barrier to accessing ECCE services.

Instead, procedures should be put into place to support the family in accessing birth registration/health/immunizations services, with attendance at ECCE services as one way to reach families.

Is there a full time designated ECCE specialist in the Curriculum Development Unit?
• Funding and Costing Elements Please refer to “Annex 2: PEDF M&E Framework Indicators”, Subsector 6, Systems Governance & Administration.

• Does the country have in place clear strategies for developing effective costing and financing mechanisms for ECCE provision?

If not, what strategies can be developed, and who would be responsible?

• Have specific funding targets been set for provision of ECCE services?
• Are there specific funding support for the most disadvantaged communities (such as: additional school grants targeted for these communities, incentives for certified ECE teachers to stay in disadvantaged communities, additional materials and resources support)?

• Are targets for ECCE services regularly reviewed and based on updated information on supply (i.e.

numbers of centres; staff; children, etc.)

and demand (i.e.
and demand (i.e.

projected enrolments across geographical location and resulting from changes in policy etc.)

• Are children from all sectors of the community included in funding targets /mechanisms (i.e.

where ECCE provision is funded by non-governmental and private organizations are there guidelines in place for accessibility and equity?)

Is teacher remuneration included in funding targets/mechanisms?

If so, how?

If not, how should this be handled?


• • Are there monitoring mechanisms for existing/allocated funding?

Governance Elements • Are systems in place which provides greater support for ECE for the most disadvantaged communities in order to achieve equity in ECE access and service delivery?

• Has accountability for implementation of policy and implementation plans been established via clarification of roles and responsibilities (i.e.
across government departments; NGO’s; the full range of early childhood service providers)?

16 • Have all relevant government departments been • • mandated in the legislative framework to ensure full services are delivered or considered?

Is the national ECCE policy supported by a prominent leader who can mobilize community and institutional support?
For example, the current First Lady of Indonesia is very involved in early childhood issues, and advocates publicly for improved access and quality of ECCE in Indonesia.

• Has a senior-level advisory group been established (including authorities from across sectors, i.e.

education; health; welfare; finance; planning; others)?

• For example, is there a multi-sectoral ECCE Working Group to help maintain and drive the ECCE agenda across applicable ministries at the national level?
Are the key players with decision making powers involved?

Children playing together in Fiji • Has a set of minimum quality service standards linked to ECCE facilities and licensure been established in the country?
• Some examples include: teacher to child ratio; ECCE centre indoor and outdoor environments; health and safety requirements; health assessment and nutrition, including parenting support and child protection; hours of operation; modes of operation (centre- and/or home-based, family playgroups when centre hours are not in session, etc.
), school/centre improvement plans with emergency preparedness plans (Please note, these are only a few examples of the many areas to be included) … • Does a clear regulatory framework for ECCE programs exist in the country, supported by mandatory reporting by service providers?

• Have human and financial resource considerations been fully made in plans for ECCE policy?

• Does the country have in place a transparent, accessible quality assurance tracking system (i.e.

EMIS)?

Does this include ECCE?


• Does the country have in place mechanisms for future planning and implementation in ECCE, based on on-going data from the quality assurance system?

• How are results used and taken back to families and communities, service providers and taken into national consideration?

• Are there clear links with honouring agreements between S/CBM and ECCE teachers (remuneration, hours of work, etc.)
or appropriate penalty (for example, losing registration or school grant from government)?

• Does this agreement between S/CBM and ECCE teachers include a clause to provide legal representation/protection for teachers if needed?

• Does this agreement include a penalty for teachers not doing their jobs?

17 • Have countries considered alternative models of ECE delivery?
Examples can include: • Making school compulsory for children ages 5 instead of ages 6, with the first year of school (for those aged 5) be 1 year of pre- primary education, attached to primary schools?

• Children aged 3 and 4 years would attend ECE services which are community-based, yet would still have system component issues raised in this document addressed?
Human Resources Elements Issues related to human resources (hiring, staffing, training, ongoing professional development) can be found in the Component Two: Human Resources section.

However, issues of remuneration, certification, and human resources require discussion and implementation at the policy level.

Please see below considerations.

• Recruitment- Policies that regulate hiring of staff & teachers to ensure suitability?

Backgrounds check mechanism?

Codes of Conduct?


Training on Child Protection principles?

Abuse awareness training?

Regular training?

• Do approved/recognized professional development courses / programs provide certification for participants?

• What does certification mean, and what does the structure of certification look like?

• For example, what incremental steps are needed to earn a certificate?
• Consider a system of accreditation for human resources to meet regulations of operating an ECCE centre/facility/program.

• Can an incentive program be developed around the incremental steps towards certification?

• Can certification of teachers be linked, through policy, into an accreditation system for ECCE centres?

Has consideration been given to remuneration levels in ECCE versus primary and any impact if these levels differ?

Is there a formal agreement between S/CBM and ECCE teachers?
• • Curriculum, Child Assessment and Environment Elements Issues related to curriculum, child assessment, and environment can be found in the Component Three: Curriculum, Child Assessment and Environment section.

However, curriculum and minimum standards should be reflected in official ECCE policy so that all stakeholders are in line with the minimum expectations of government.
ECCE programs and implementers are free to provide “above and beyond” services, but government, in partnership with stakeholders, should agree on what and how the minimum standards should be.
Some considerations at the policy level include: • Defined minimum quality standards • Language of instruction (the importance of vernacular) • Approved methodology • Content to be included in the curriculum 18 Additionally, children should never be excluded from ECCE programs based on health, gender, disability, and/or immunization issues.
However, the ECCE centre provides a unique opportunity for ongoing direct engagement with parents, and can provide a unique opportunity for ECCE centres and local health workers to support each other/ work together for the holistic needs of the child.

• Are ECCE programs engaged in monitoring children’s immunizations and tracking health/weight issues?

If so, how?

How are appropriate referrals made and tracked?

Playing with colors and shapes in Fiji.
19 #1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance #3 – Curriculum, Child Assessment Environment #1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance Country Issue Strategy Flanders, Belgium* – challenge with access Link funding of new schools to population demographics Municipalities with more than 1,500 inhabitants can now apply for funding to build new nursery and primary schools more easily, as the mandatory guidelines for minimum distance between two schools have been reduced from 2 kilometres to 250 meters.
The ratio of staff per ECCE place has also been reduced from 1:7 to 1:6.5.

Related Component #1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance Australia* Ireland** Vanuatu Utilized international evidence on the significant impact of quality ECCE Updated teacher : child ratio Provided oversight and resources to address community based ECCE International evidence was used by Australia to convince stakeholders to adopt quality standards and regulations.
#1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance Up to 11 children: 1 pre-school leader; 12-22 children: 1 pre-school leader and 1 pre-school assistant; 23-33 children: 2 pre-school leaders and 1 pre-school assistant #1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance An ECCE policy, Early Learning Development Standards, and an ECCE Curriculum (in dual language to meet mother tongue issues) were developed.

PNG; Kiribati No systematic oversight in place Each Pacific Island Country has developed and finalized an ECCE policy.
Fiji; Nauru; Cook Islands Different civil society groups implementing ECCE with no coordination or oversight of methodology and curriculum.

Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Island, Tuvalu Approved teacher : child ratio in policy Fiji, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Nauru, Tonga, FSM, Kiribati Work Hours Fiji – developed “Na Noda Mataniciva”, a comprehensive curriculum with resources in the 3 main languages of the country.
#3 – Curriculum, Child Assessment Environment #1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance #1 – Policy, Legislation, Governance Teacher : Child ratio for ECCE 1:15 Fiji - Teachers are with children 3 hours/day (1/2 day).

Teachers have 30 minutes prep and clean up, with total 4 work hours/day.

Solomon Islands - Teachers with children 4 hours/day; teachers expected to work a complete 8 hour day – teacher paid full salary for the time they work.
Cook Islands - 3-4 hours with children, with additional 2 hours administration time (total 7 hours).

MOE pays for government salaries based on hours of work and qualifications Tuvalu - Children in the classroom for a minimum of 3 hours a day, with an additional 2 hours administration time.

Teachers get allowances from government co- funded with school management committees based on qualifications and experience.
Nauru - 6 hours attendance for compulsory age group (preschool prep age 5-6 years); ages 3-4 are non- compulsory and attend 4 hours.

Teachers work 8 hours/ day and paid by government.

Tonga - Ages 1-3 years attend 9am-12pm for 4 or 5 days/ week.

Ages 4-5 attend 5 days/ week.

FSM - Ages 3-5 minimum 3.5 hours instruction time (teachers with children).

Kiribati - Minimum 2-4 hours instruction time for ages 3-5.
Teachers expected to stay 2 hours before and 2 hours after instruction time, for a total work day of 6-8 hours.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/6/30/48483544.pdf ** http://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/clarification-on-changes-to-ratios-for-the-ecce-scheme/ 21 Component Two – Human Resources Description: Suitably educated (minimum Each country needs to determine qualifications as defined by the individual what and how “certification” and country) and well-supported staff able to “qualification” will be defined and respond to the needs of children, families implemented within their country and communities, is essential for provision context and needs of quality ECCE services.
This includes all those engaged with ECCE, and includes human resources issues such as training, certification, qualifications, remuneration, and ongoing professional development and support.

Stakeholders to include: Ministry of Education (including those dealing with curriculum, data collection, human resources, teacher training), Ministry of Finance (remuneration, salary and/or training grants), faith-based organizations, civil society organizations, and village leaders/community.
Examples of quality indicators include: • Clear plans for teacher training/qualifications track with number of teachers set to achieve certain training levels by a set date.

• A monitoring plan with number of monitoring visits, feedback plan, and who is responsible.

• Designated roles and responsibilities.


• High retention rate of ECCE teachers Teacher Education / Qualification/ Ongoing Professional Development elements What is your overarching statement of purpose or intention for ECCE human resources education qualifications / preparation Teacher Education/ Qualification?

Possible areas for consideration in developing benchmarks: • Are minimum entry requirements to the profession stipulated by a regulatory body (governmental or independent)?
• How do entry requirements and promotion Children proud of their creations in Niue • • in the field as well as formal qualification?

criteria recognize experience Is the status of early childhood (EC) teachers with different levels of qualifications clearly articulated in regulations and policy (is there a qualifications framework in place for early childhood teachers)?
Is there an identified body / department that are responsible for certification and regular monitoring of quality and relevance in teacher training / education programs?

22 • Are regional and national targets for upgrading teacher qualifications established and reviewed?

• Are opportunities for both pre-service and in-service certification provided?
• For example, monthly network meetings for peer learning and support between ECCE teachers • Are there opportunities for continuing professional development throughout human resources?

• What are the incentives for further professional growth?

• How are teachers compensated or rewarded for pursuing • professional development?

re there opportunities for teachers to diversify and transfer across different teacher areas, such as moving across ages of ECE?
• Do professional development courses / programs provide certification for participants?

• Refer to page 14 for additional questions related to human resources policy issues such as certification and remuneration.

• Are teacher certification and professional development programs designed to reflect cultural and spiritual values that are important to the country?

• Are teacher certification and professional development programs designed to build on national capacity and draw on national assets (i.e.
educating teachers in the use of natural resources for preparing teaching materials; drawing on cultural heritage in preparing reading and play materials)?

• Are incentives possible to encourage teachers to produce their own resources?

• • Is there a mechanism available for sharing resources and knowledge for teacher education purposes at national and regional levels (i.e.

drawing on core expertise; distribution of materials)?
If teacher education / training are not provided by government bodies, is government funding available for teachers, to support teacher participation in such programs?

• How are ECCE teachers provided training on supporting children with different abilities?

How are teachers supported in early identification of developmental needs in young children?

• How are other stakeholders – such as Ministry of Health, etc.

– involved in the identification process?


• Are teachers provided with training on curriculum implementation; child protection issues such as abuse awareness; first aid and basic health; environmental sustainability (such as climate change, waste management, sustainable futures, etc.)

and sustainable development (human-nature relationships, being “stewards” of the environment, and being active participants of change from the very young); and / or ECCE in emergencies (EiE)?
• Are teachers provided with training and support in working with families and communities?

23 • Are ECCE teachers aware of child protection policy issues and referral mechanisms?

• Are the ECCE teachers aware of locally available referral mechanisms in place to support the prevention and response to the needs of a child undergoing violence, abuse (in all forms), neglect, and exploitation?
• Are all ECE teachers provided professional development on culturally appropriate and positive reinforcing of behaviours (i.e.

not shaming or blaming a child)?

Recruitment / Retention • Are targets for recruitment and retention of ECCE teachers stated in national plans?

• Are targets for upgrading qualifications of unregistered teachers stated in national plans?

• Recruitment- Policies that regulate hiring of staff & teachers to ensure suitability?

Backgrounds check mechanism?

Codes of Conduct?


Training on Child Protection principles?

Abuse awareness training?

Regular training?

Is there a clear pathway or structure for career path for career progression in ECCE, with multiple entry points and opportunities for promotion, including increased remuneration?
A teacher in Nauru reading to children • or example, • • Solomon Islands – ECCE teachers are paid the same as primary teachers, along the scale related to certificate, diploma, masters, and/or other qualifications.
• An issue to consider – in some countries, as ECCE teachers upgrade their qualifications, they are moved away from ECCE into primary and/or higher levels of schooling (because salaries are higher, or at discretion of management), which then requires the classroom to begin with a new untrained teacher again.
(Examples include: Nauru, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu) • Is teacher remuneration in early childhood settings comparable with the remuneration of teachers in the civil service sector (ECCE versus primary)?

• Are ECCE teachers recognized in policy as professionals with equal status to teachers in schools?

• Are mentoring, professional development, and other support opportunities available for teachers?
• Are teachers included in awareness-raising campaigns on early childhood care and education, in order to raise the profile of the profession?

24 • Are teachers consulted on ECCE policy reviews and implementation / monitoring of ECCE programs?

Teacher professionalism • Are the roles, responsibilities and rights of ECCE teachers clearly stated in policy and / or regulatory frameworks?
• Are there clear roles and responsibilities for teachers to work with and involving families and communities • Are the nation’s values / priorities clearly reflected in a Code of Ethics for teachers, including child protection (i.e.

a clear vision of professionalism in ECCE teaching) that is endorsed by multiple stakeholders?

• Does the country have a plan in place to raise the profile of ECE teachers as professionals in their communities and in the country?
Children learning with their teachers in Samoa 25 Component Three – Curriculum, Child Assessment & Environment Description: A child- and community-friendly curriculum that has been developed in consultation with ECCE staff and stakeholders and is regularly reviewed is essential for provision of quality ECCE services.

This section focused on the curriculum to be used with children in the ECCE setting, including both content and methodology.
It also addresses the assessment required to be provided so as to drive quality improvement.

The environment refers to both indoor and outdoor of the ECCE setting, as well as the “personal” environment between people.

Curriculum and minimum standards should be reflected in official ECCE policy so that all stakeholders are in line with the minimum expectations of government.
ECCE programs and implementers are free to provide “above and beyond” services, but government, in partnership with stakeholders, should agree on what and how the minimum standards should be.

What is your overarching statement of purpose or intention for Curriculum, Child Assessment and Environment?
Stakeholders to include: Teacher Training Institutions; Curriculum Development Unit (including both ECCE and lower primary to provide a clear bridge between ECCE and Primary/Class/Grade/Year 1); ECCE teachers; faith based and/or NGO ECCE implementers; families and communities.
Examples of quality indicators include: • Curriculum that addresses the development of a child holistically, which respects cultural and societal priorities while still maintaining respect for the child’s protection, individual interests and rate of development.

Values are promoted, including peace building.

Implementation should be flexible, with opportunities for spontaneous learning.
• Assessments that are developmentally appropriate, sensitive to culture and language, and makes sound decision about teaching and learning and early intervention.

Group time in Samoa • Resources used with ECCE should be age appropriate based on safety, health, child’s ability to use.
• Advocates for a play-based methodology which engages children in learning through active participation, using a variety of resources and materials, engaging all the five senses (touch, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling) in learning through play.

27 • Classroom implementation and learning environment is a combination of active and quiet play – alternating in the daily routine when children move and sit, play and listen, etc.
to develop essential learning skills such as exploration, inquiry, and communication in both indoor and outdoor play.

• The ECCE learning environment – both indoor and outdoor – should be accessible and inclusive of children with special needs.

• Possible areas for consideration: Vision / Principles • Does the curriculum: • Articulate the nation’s Vision, Mission, and Principles for the care, protection, and education of young children?
• Articulate a clear view of the direction of progression for children towards achievement of child learning outcomes?

• Promote awareness and learning of important cultural traditions and values?

• Reflect evidence of best practice in both the local context and in global trends?

• Promote inclusion (inclusive of children of all abilities; ethnicity; socioeconomic background; gender; religion, etc.)

and cater for diversity, celebrating the holistic development of the child?
Include EiE; basic health and first aid; child protection; climate change; waste management; environmental sustainability, etc.?

• Children playing with natural resources in Niue • For example, for EiE, are there opportunities for children and ECCE staff to practice emergency plans?

• Are early learning and development standards for young children in the country clearly stated and regularly reviewed?
• Are the standards and desired outcomes for children reflected in the national early childhood curriculum?

• • • Are the realities of context (i.e.

resources constraints; teacher training; identification of natural local resources in areas where commercially- made resources are unavailable) incorporated in the curriculum and in guidance documents?

Is the importance of the teacher in the successful interpretation & delivery of the curriculum clearly expressed and acknowledged?
Is the importance of community and parental involvement in ECCE highlighted in the curriculum?

Is there a strategic plan for the development, distribution, associated training & implementation of the curriculum?

Is there a plan for on-going evaluation and review of the curriculum by a range of stakeholders?

Is the nation’s vision of the ‘ECCE teacher’ / professional clearly stated in the curriculum?
• • • 28 • Is the role of positive and mutually-respectful relationships (between children, families / community members and teachers) emphasized in the curriculum?

• Are the ECCE teachers aware of locally available referral mechanisms in place to support the prevention and response to the needs of a child undergoing violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation?
Development of the Curriculum The development of an ECE Curriculum should be given as much attention and time as the development of other levels of education.

Things to consider during the curriculum development process include: • Have all stakeholders been consulted and involved?
• Stakeholders should include ECE technical specialists, Curriculum Development Unit, parents and community members, ECE teachers, implementing partners, relevant stakeholders, as well as lower primary 1 teachers and Head Teachers.

• Does the ECE Curriculum align with the lower primary curriculum and • country priorities?

Is the ECE Curriculum included in the Ministry of Education’s overall curriculum review process?
Delivery of Curriculum Delivery of the curriculum is important not only for the content of the curriculum, but in the methodology of how the curriculum is shared with the young children.

Teachers should be trained in ECCE methodology and how it is different from what they often remember their first educational experiences, which is often a more teacher- directed approach.
from • Does the curriculum, regardless of gender: • Have clear learning outcomes for children, which are promoted through child-centred learning and play?

Does the curriculum Toys made from local materials in Vanuatu include a rationale for “why” play is important?

• Delivery support children’s mother tongue?

• Promote child-friendly ways to assess and monitor child learning outcomes?

• Provide an intentional approach to teaching (i.e.
so that teachers think about: why children play; what they learn and what are the benefits of child-centred learning)?

• Promote integration of learning areas (i.e.

integration of literacy with numeracy and science concepts?)

• Reflect the needs of children as they transition, from home 29 to ECCE, from ECCE to primary school, as well as routine and activity transitions?

Transitions also apply from infant – toddler – young child and the different needs at each stage.
• Promote the use of locally available/made resources?

• Promote participation of parents/community in children’s activities?

• Promote the preservation of culture and language through • activities and resources?

Incorporate the importance of identity formation and positive identity, positive self-awareness and positive social emotional development in early childhood?
• Does this include peace building in communities from the start, such as encouraging positive problem solving in young children, and their future role as peace-building members of families and communities?

• Promote healthy eating and living habits, including the use of school gardens?

• Are ECE centres encouraged to have school gardens?
School gardens can provide the following for young children: • Pre-science learning from caring for the gardens and observing growth and change • Health and nutrition learning from learning what types of healthy foods • to grow social-emotional learning from cooperatively caring for the gardens with others • Promote good sanitation and hygiene practices?

• Promote the values of the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
• Educate children about understanding abuse (for example, good/bad touches), seeking support (for example, talking to teacher, parent) • Curriculum information for children on awareness and self-protection?

• Risk assessment/management e.g.

guidelines and procedures to minimize risk on field trips etc.?

• Media awareness on CP for children, families & • communities?

Support and reflect inclusiveness of children with special needs, providing opportunities for individualization based on a child’s need?
• Are specific examples provided on how to adapt activities and resources for use with children with special needs?

30 Some examples may include: • Child with hearing impairment – use more visual resources • Child with visual impairment – use more spoken/audio resources, as well as tactile resources.

• Are activities available to encourage and challenge the “gifted and talented” child?
• Promote and empower children through “feel good” feelings such as love, trust, hope, faith, respect, welcoming, and support a sense of respectful learning environment?

• Encourage teachers to develop respectful, responsive relationships with children?

Does the curriculum encourage children to learn how to have respectful, responsive relationships with others?

• Is the curriculum methodology aligned with accepted theories of learning for young children?
• Are resources available that support mother tongue literacy?

• Is there training in mother tongue literacy available for teachers and staff in ECCE centres?

Is the curriculum reviewed regularly by teachers and key stakeholders, in an appropriate time frame (for example, every # years)?

• • Are health assessment; nutrition; cross-sectoral / departmental • • interventions included in the programme / curriculum?
Is the curriculum age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate based on country-contextualized developmental milestones?

Is the curriculum holistic (reflecting the multiple aspects of development that occur during the early childhood years)?

Child Assessment • Does the curriculum include a monitoring system of child developmental outcomes?

Is child assessment included in the curriculum?

• • Such as, regular observation with documentation, child portfolio, etc.
• Does the curriculum address the different types of assessment appropriate for the different components of the curriculum (such as Observation, interviews, child portfolios)?

Children demonstrating their knowledge of the number “4” in Vanuatu • Does this include adaptation for children with special needs?

• Does the assessment provide opportunities for family involvement?

• For example, parent/ECCE teacher conference per term; inclusion of child drawing made from home into the child portfolio?
31 Is the assessment culturally and linguistically appropriate?

• • Are teachers observant of children and their situations (for example, observing children who may have delays in development, or who may be at risk for abuse/neglect).

Environment • Are there policies / regulations that promote the importance of creating a respectful and safe working environment for staff in ECCE centres?
Is a minimum facility standards policy in place, which includes environmental considerations as well as resilience to disasters and climate change in the construction of ECCE centres?

• • Are minimum facility standards: • Specific to the nation articulated and widely published?

• Monitored and regulated?


• For both Outdoor play in Solomon Islands indoor and outdoor environments based on MOE, MOPH, and / or others’ regulations and/or OHS standards with disability access as possible within the country context?

• Promoting learning through play that is accessible to all children, regardless of gender, ability/special needs, ethnicity, religion, economic/ social status, etc.?
Is ECE infrastructure for teachers, parents, caregivers, children, and others with special needs provided and inclusive?

• • Is the ECCE classroom environment child friendly and welcoming, with child-sized furniture, toilets, sinks, etc.

(as appropriate within the country context)?

• Does the learning environment cater for child protection, health, and safety?

• For example, shaded area outside to protect from sun, rain?
• Are classroom resources protected from the environment and potential disasters such as flooding?

• • • If provided, are all levered windows in place and in good condition?

Are resources stored in locked cabinets, water-tight containers, and/or stored above flood zones at night, weekends, and during school holidays?

When standing on the floor, are cabinets, shelving, etc.

raised slightly off the ground to protect items stored on the bottom shelves?

• Can all children access ECE centres?


(for example, location, ease of accessibility) 32 facility standards Minimum should incorporate guidelines on aspects of environment shown below.

Following are some guiding questions for both the indoor and outdoor environment.

Please see ANNEX 5 for specific examples for consideration, which can be adapted based on local country context.

• ECCE facilities – is there appropriate • ventilation and space for each classroom size and number of children enrolled?
Indoor and Outdoor Environments – how will the inside of the classroom(s) and outside areas of the school compound be organized to facilitate organization, ease of child independence and choice, and address all areas of development?

Outdoor play in Vanuatu • Safety – a basic first Aid Kit should be compliant with the international minimum standards (for example, Red Cross, St. John’s, etc.).

How often will the Kit be checked regularly and replenished, and updated?

• How will safety be maintained?


Who will be responsible?

• Does each ECCE setting: • Have a plan in place should an emergency occur?

What should be in place before an emergency to make sure everyone is prepared?

What happens during an emergency?

How are ECCE programs to continue after an emergency?

Who is responsible for what?

• Have proper water supply and sanitation facilities, and support appropriate hygiene behaviour?

• Follow a child-friendly design and use engaging child-friendly resources?
• Have a fire extinguisher, and smoke detector?

• Posted evacuation plans for teachers/parents/adults to safely evacuate children?

Does the evacuation plan include those with special needs?

One resource to use when developing minimum standards is the International Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE - http://toolkit.ineesite.org/toolkit/ Home.php ).

While these standards do not specify ECCE directly, they include suggestions for best practice for quality education.
This will strengthen education preparedness, response, and recovery and can be adapted to fit the ECCE setting.

33 Component Four - Performance Monitoring and Assessment This component addresses the performance monitoring and assessment of teachers, directors, and classrooms/centres.

The monitoring of child development and outcomes is addressed in Component Three, Curriculum and Environment.
Description: Contextually-appropriate and reliable monitoring and assessment measures that are developed in consultation with key stakeholders and closely reflect key national priorities.

Plans are essential for provision of quality ECCE services, as they provide clear goals and outcomes and enable identification of areas that need support and improvement.
As previously mentioned, the overall National Quality Framework will need to be included in the formal monitoring and evaluation systems in each country.

This component addresses the monitoring and evaluation of the specific educational activities and preschool centre and teacher performance.
An ECCE class in Tonga Stakeholders to include: Government Ministries (Education, Health, Finance, Youth, and/or Women), Audit Department, FBOs, NGOs, Early Childhood Services, Local government partners/education officers, parents and communities, School Based Management, (junior/lower) primary school head teachers, year/class/grade 1,2,3 teachers (for ECCE-primary transition), Teacher Training Institutions.
Regional level – M&E system and tools should make reference to regional indicators included in PEDF EMIS tool Design at the national level – M&E system and tools should be designed at the national level, in order to provide consistency and oversight for the overall delivery of ECCE.

They should also link with national monitoring and data collection management systems.
Implementation at the classroom level – teachers to be assessed using an on- going process by MOE, District Education Officers, trained ECCE community management members, NGOs… this is to be confirmed, planned, and implemented by each country.

What is your overarching statement of purpose or intention for Performance Monitoring and Assessment?

Quality indicators can include: • Effective implementation of all components is monitored regularly to ensure quality outcomes.
35 • Example - Components #2 – Human Resources and #3 – Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment is monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure the teacher and learning environment (indoor and outdoor) has met and continue to maintain quality standards as set by the country.

• Feedback can be shared with teachers and other stakeholders (management, principal/CEO, MOE, etc.)

in a positive way to encourage improvement and continue to maintain best practices.
Possible areas for consideration • Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) • What systems are in place to ensure quality compliance with standard assessments, specifically in relation to governance?

• Are the purpose and priorities for monitoring and assessment clearly defined and understood at national and local levels?
• Are differences between key terminologies ‘policy’, ‘legislation’, ‘acts’, ‘monitoring’, ‘evaluation’ understood by ECCE teachers/officers / directors, so that they can participate effectively in reforms and reviews?

• Do key stakeholders agree on the key purpose(s) of monitoring and assessment procedures and tools?
• Do tools for monitoring and assessment of ECCE services exist at all levels, from community and ECCE centres to policy-levels, which align to existing National performance management/ appraisal system?

Can they be utilized / adapted the purpose of monitoring and evaluation?

If not, how further to better serve can monitoring and assessment of ECCE services be included?

Is monitoring and evaluation of data collection developed in partnership with stakeholders and disseminated widely?
• • Is ECCE data collected in the MoE annual school census data collection?

• How is attendance of both children and teachers monitored?

Monitoring tools should ideally complement the curriculum with the aim to improve quality implementation.

Tools should reflect Pacific culture and reality in use of resources.

The feasibility and appropriateness of indicators should be taken into account, based on what tools will be used, and who will be doing the monitoring.
• Do tools for monitoring and assessment of ECCE services incorporate inputs and processes, as well as outcomes, of ECCE provision?

• Are the tools and processes used designed to empower teachers, parents and community members to provide the best possible support for children in their care?

Children playing in Tonga • Are self-assessment, peer-assessment and goal-setting for services built into monitoring and evaluation systems (in formal settings; community-based settings, etc.?).
For example: 36 • Cook Islands – Professional Development System – a 6-month appraisal of each teacher, as a way to self-assess in a guided way with head teacher and/or ECCE Director to encourage and sustain best practice.

• Fiji – talanoa sessions amongst teachers • Who is responsible for overseeing and updating monitoring and evaluation procedures?

• Roles and responsibilities need to be clearly stated within specific country context for ministry staff.
• Are roles and responsibilities linked with national EMIS, data collection, monitoring and reporting systems?

For example, if a country decides to give M&E responsibility to an NGO or other civil body, then this needs to be clearly specified with an MOU noting roles and responsibilities, and indicate who within the MOE will be responsible for overall oversight of this MOU.
• Other examples: monitoring tools could be designed and updated by MOE, but delivered by someone else; monitoring tools could be designed by an ECCE Working Group at national level, etc.

• Who is responsible for reporting the results of monitoring and evaluation procedures?

• Not only “who” is reporting, but to whom do they report to?

• Is there a system in place to determine what happens with M&E findings?

• Who are the monitoring results shared with, and for what purpose?
• What are the outcomes hoped to achieve – improved quality?

If so, how – will workshop topics be identified based on monitoring results, with teachers invited to specific workshops for professional improvement opportunities?

• • Is there sufficient technical expertise available (long-term availability) to design and implement effective monitoring and assessment procedures?

Is there a mechanism through which results are used to inform changes to policy, governance and implementation of programs?
• Are monitoring and assessment procedures implemented to promote high quality in ECCE services through an atmosphere of collaboration rather than penalization?

• Are results shared with all key stakeholders involved in ECCE?

• Do monitoring and assessment procedures: • Reflect the diversity in the nation?

• Reflect the priorities of the 37 • nation for ECCE?

Incorporate elements of self- evaluation (i.e.


by teachers and directors of centres), to promote ownership and engagement in promoting high quality?

Playing outside in Tuvalu • Provide clear guidance on who is monitoring what, using what tool(s), and how often monitoring is to take place?

• Are there procedures in place for additional follow-up, support to teachers, centres, centre directors, etc.

who have been identified as needing further support or improvement during monitoring?
• Are sufficient funds available for ongoing monitoring?

Funding for this should be reflected in the ECCE Policy and ECCE budgeting.

• Are there plans to develop a PAF in line with the National Quality Framework?

Indoor and outdoor play areas should ideally be monitored for both safety and curriculum and methodology implementation.
A monitoring system should clearly define: what is being monitored, why/for what purpose, how it is done, who is doing the monitoring, and when/how often (the “who” is doing the monitoring should be determined as well).
Ideally, monitoring and assessment of teachers are linked to an appraisal system, such as salary scale, promotions, incremental steps up within existing human resources structure, incentives, motivational activities (such as publicity in a local newspaper article or radio/TV news interview).

An important key to supporting achieved quality improvement is recognition of the contribution of those ECCE teachers who have exceeded results in improving quality in their local schools.
The following diagram illustrates the principle that monitoring and evaluation should involve interaction from all stakeholders.

Parents and Families Community Child Teachers and Caregivers Local National Policy Makers Social Services 38 In the diagram above, just as each stakeholder’s activities and interests should focus on the child in ECCE, each stakeholder has the responsibility to ensure that the child’s best interests are reflected in programming.
Ongoing monitoring and assessment, as well as ongoing communication among all stakeholders, provides the assurance that the child remains the focus of every component.

Working together supports all stakeholders’ achievement in quality standards.

Playing outside in Kiribati 39 Component Five - Family and Community Partnerships Description: Strategic partnerships that promote the importance and involvement of community stakeholders in ECCE are essential for provision of quality ECCE services.
While government should take the responsibility of setting systems in place, most ECCE programming is implemented by faith-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, private entities, and individuals.

In addition, an overarching principle of ECCE is the acknowledgement and respect of the parent and family unit as the young child’s first teacher.
Stakeholders to include: community groups, FBOs, NGOs, private providers, MOE, management committees, local government, media, community leaders, and civil society, ECCE services (welfare, maternity, and public health) Examples of quality indicators include: • • • • • • • • An ECCE setting which is fully resourced by community partnership and engagement Increased and stable enrolment Successful fundraising by community Safe and clean environment, maintained by community support Increased parent and community participation in the ECCE program Media facilitate sharing of positive ECCE stories Stakeholders collaborate advocacy efforts (i.e., National Early Childhood Week or Conference) Include messages of children protection and positive parenting practices ECCE Centre garden in Fiji What is your overarching statement of purpose or intention for Family and Community Partnerships?
Possible areas for consideration: Strategic Communication • Does ECCE policy state the importance of communication of policy at all levels, from local community to high-level government officials?

Are resources allocated, as part of the national plan for ECCE, to manage and advance communication in the following areas?
• • • • • Advocacy of ECCE in the wider community Materials in the vernacular / mother-tongue / local language Status of ECCE Updates on research and evaluation results related to ECCE Awareness raising and communication of key messages / • 41 • • developments in ECCE to local families and communities/ caregivers Public relations to raise the profile of ECCE and to make it part of wider nation-building efforts Transparent – are families and communities clear about ECCE centre planning, budgeting, and their roles and responsibilities?
Are steps taken (in policies and implementation of programs / research /awareness-raising) to ensure interpersonal communication in caregiver/community interaction, in line with the importance attached to face-to-face knowledge management in the Pacific?

Are there advocacy materials that promote the importance of ECCE based on reliable, relevant, and local evidence / information (if possible)?

Are advocacy materials regularly disseminated and updated?
• For example, informal and/or semi-structured focus group discussions with caregivers is vital and can be very informative in disseminating information and materials, as well as to obtain feedback on advocacy materials for improvement.

• • • ”Every Voice Matters” • • • Are the perspectives of parents, teachers, and other professionals who work with children reflected in policy, ECCE curricula, ECCE programs and advocacy materials?
Are there plans to research, develop, implement, and evaluate participatory communication with caregivers/community, in order to identify and promote effective ECCE policy and practices?

Are there means available for community members and stakeholders to contribute to policy reviews / updates, and is participation actively encouraged?

Are people informed of proactive steps they can take?
• For example, Education Act Review/Reform – is there a group collaboratively working towards advocating for ECCE involvement?

Community Ownership of ECCE Community stakeholders need to be clearly informed of their roles, through engagement during the developmental process of the Framework.

Have all community stakeholders understood and accepted the roles given to them, offered by them?
Community members should be included from the very start of Framework design, and encourage their engagement throughout the entire process through community meetings, talanoa sessions, feedback sessions.

• Is the role of community stakeholders (i.e.

parents, teachers, community leaders, other ECCE professionals) in planning and implementing ECCE programs acknowledged and mandated in policies?
Children play with an elder in Samoa 42 • • Is the role of government in promoting community ownership clearly outlined in policies on ECCE?

Is there an identified fund included in the ECCE budget for organization of events and activities esigned to promote community participation in and awareness of ECCE?

Parent and Teacher Associations (PTAs) PTAs can be either associated with the primary school (if the ECCE is attached to a primary) or can be ECCE focused if the centre is a “stand alone”.
• • • • • • • Do ECCE teachers, S/CBM, and the PTA have a positive relationship?

Does the PTA support fundraising activities for the ECCE centre?

Does the PTA help the centre gain resources and materials for the program?

How often does the PTA meet?

How is each PTA organized and monitored?

Who does the PTA report to, and how are they held accountable?

Collaboration between key players regular for safety of children?

PTA involvement, involvement of other agencies?


Community level structures-any mechanisms that discuss CP issues?

School/Centre-Based Management (S/CBM) S/CBM is responsible for overseeing the on-going daily ECCE administration and infrastructure.

While FBOs may have a different organizational structure, the expected roles would be the same.

• Are there clear roles and responsibilities of S/CBM members, with clear demarcation from other groups (i.e.

PTAs, teachers’ operational duties)?


Are accounts and grants for ECCE dedicated solely for ECCE and managed appropriately?

Are appropriate resources allocated to ECCE?

Does MOE have a system in place to provide small S/CBM grants to facilitate ECCE quality improvement?

Is there an official agreement (or MOA) between S/CBM and ECCE teachers regarding hours of work, remuneration, overtime, etc.?

Do ECCE teachers, S/CBM, and PTA have a positive relationship?

How often does the S/CBM meet?


How is each S/CBM organized and monitored?

Who does the S/CBM report to, and how are they held accountable?

Children celebrating in Kiribati • • • • • • • • 43 Conclusion In conclusion, these guidelines are meant to provide a starting point for development of National Quality Frameworks.

They are designed to be thought-provoking and highlight important issues for countries to consider as they seek to improve systems supporting early childhood care and education.
These are the questions recommended by the Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education for countries to consider.

It is important to engage support from all relevant stakeholders in order to achieve results in promoting quality ECCE in each country.
Strengthening all 5 system components - Policy/ Legislation & Governance; Human Resources; Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment; Performance Monitoring and Assessment; and Family and Community Partnerships – will result in sustainable ECCE programs, policies, systems, and practices.
Once Frameworks are developed and costed, governments will have a clearer idea of how much it will cost for each component, yielding important data for advocating for greater funding support; then action plans can be implemented.
Children having fun in Cook Islands PRC4ECCE hopes that countries in the Pacific region find the process of doing a situational analysis of their ECCE sub-sector, and then using this document with analysis results to develop National Quality Frameworks for ECCE, to be useful and helpful.

This document is to be seen as providing a guideline for quality, but can be adapted by each individual country to meet their specific needs and interests.
While these guidelines can be referenced by anyone, they were developed BY the Pacific, FOR the Pacific, with each country for its own children towards building a BETTER Pacific.
As the Pacific Regional Council for Early Childhood Care and Education (PRC4ECCE) states, “It Is the Way Forward” 45 Annex 1: PEDF Monitoring and Evaluation Framework - ECE Sector Strategic Objectives Outcomes Performance Indicators 2012-2015 SSE1: Early Childhood Care Access & Equity: Expansion; Countries plan and Increase in capacity and Education (ECCE) Improve access, equity implement well supported [teachers, plant & inclusion particularly nationally and regionally &equipment] of X%.
for vulnerable and coordinated good quality disadvantaged children ECCE programmes which are delivered by qualified and trained teachers and are accessible to all sections of the community Quality: Implementation of comprehensive quality ECCE programmes grounded in local languages and culture Development of: Learning and standards for ECCE curriculum.

Good quality teaching and learning resources.

ECCE teacher training regionally and nationally.

Improvement in remuneration and conditions for teachers.
Efficiency & Effectiveness: Development of coherent and holistic national policy and planning frameworks.

Clarification of government role and responsibilities.

Establish coordinating bodies at national level to provide leadership for development of the sector.

Establish strong cross- sectoral partnerships with relevant ministries and NGOs.

Increase community participation X% increase in enrolment of which X% are vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
Professionally assessed and validated programmes sensitive to local cultures and languages Teaching & learning; resources &standards; salary and service conditions of teachers demonstrate improvement through qualitative assessment methodologies.

National ECCE policies and planning frameworks are in place with clear roles & lines of responsibilities between government and coordinating cross-sectoral bodies.
46 Annex 2: PEDF M&E Framework Indicators - ECE ECE is included not only as a stand-alone sub-sector, but also woven throughout the applicable subsectors.

SUBSECTOR 1: EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION (ECCE) Agreed Indicators Cross cutting themes indicators Value Access & Equity: Expansion; Improve access, equity & inclusion particularly for vulnerable and disadvantaged children • Disaggregated by gender, NER in ECE % • GER in ECCE vulnerable/disadvantaged % populations.
Quality: Implementation of comprehensive quality ECCE programmes grounded in local languages and culture Development of: Learning and standards for ECCE curriculum.

Good quality teaching and learning resources.

ECCE teacher training regionally and nationally.

Improvement in remuneration and conditions for teachers.
% of ECCE centres which meet National Minimum Data collected disaggregated by % Quality Service Standards (adult/child ratio, facilities, location (rural/urban) curriculum use, community based management, # and quality of teaching and learning resources, teacher performance and standards) by 2017 Existence of ECCE curriculum including key principles of child development and monitoring of learning outcomes, which are gender sensitive Efficiency & Effectiveness: Progressive scale Development of coherent and holistic national policy and planning frameworks.
Clarification of government role and responsibilities.

Establish coordinating bodies at national level to provide leadership for development of the sector.

Establish strong cross- sectoral partnerships with relevant ministries and NGOs.
Increase community participation National ECCE policies and planning Frameworks, Policies should take into Number drafted using guidelines consideration: • gender parity Progressive scale EMIS system inclusive of relevant ECCE data • vernacular language and culture • children with special needs • sustainable development and EiE, • disadvantaged communities 47 SUBSECTOR 2: FORMAL EDUCATION (PRIMARY & SECONDARY) Agreed Indicators Cross cutting themes indicators Value Access & Equity The achievement of universal basic education.
Reducing dropout and increasing retention rates.

– removal of examinations and the focus on AfL via SBA/CBAs Continued development of opportunities for flexible open and distance learning.
Inclusion particularly for remote, vulnerable and disadvantaged children Info from assessments for development of strategies for intervention at student / system levels An increase in girls’ participation in upper secondary; Development of research strategies to improve the educational performance of boys; Development and implementation of cost-effective strategies for service delivery to remote and outer island communities.
• Net enrolment rates by grade, gender, location (urban/ rural) • Gross enrolment rates by grade, gender, location • Repetition rates by grade, gender, location • Dropout rates by gender, grade, location Promotion rates by gender, grade, location • • Transition rate by gender, grade, location • % of schools that have effective access to IT • % of out of school students re-entering formal school • % of children affected by HIV/AIDS • Data disaggregation: • Gender • children with special needs enrolled in normal school location • % % % % % % % % Quality: FEdMM endorsed (2006) Partnership involving UNESCO, UNICEF, and SPBEA in developing regional benchmarks in literacy, numeracy and life-skills.
Comprehensive curriculum review and redevelopment (including development of curriculum and assessment frameworks) An emphasis on language and culture and a rethinking of education policy and practice.

Physical learning environment: upgrading of classrooms which provide a sub-standard educational environment for teaching and learning.
Strengthening of initiatives in promoting the active involvement of the school community in the affairs of schools in order to enhance the quality of facilities and teaching-learning resources Increase in numbers of graduates with entry requirements for post-secondary studies.
Move from norm reference results reporting to criteria references reporting • • • • • • Literacy (by language) and numeracy rates at Years 4 and 6 Teacher/pupil ratio (primary/secondary) by urban and rural Pupil/Classroom ratio by urban and rural Pupil textbook ratios by urban and rural Computer/pupil ratio Percentage of class 1-3 teachers using vernacular language as a medium of instruction • % of schools with clean water and sanitation • % of school leavers leaving with at least the minimum national/ regional qualification.
Frequency of curriculum review • Gender, location, government, non- government • • Integration of ESD in the curriculum Integration of HIV/AIDs in the curriculum % % ratio ratio ratio % % % Progressive scale Progressive scale Efficiency & Effectiveness: Continued advocacy for closer collaboration between education and health at national and regional levels • • • Efficiency rate (coefficient of efficiency) Compulsory education policy developed and implemented.
Language policy developed and implemented Compared by location % Consideration for those in disadvantaged/ Progressive scale vulnerable communities Progressive scale 48 SUBSECTOR 3: TECHNICAL & VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) Agreed Indicators Cross cutting themes indicators Value Access and equity: Increased access to organized skills development education and training particularly for women & girls and geographically marginalized communities • • Enrolment figures for TVET Providers to be gender disaggregated by course/qualification Enrolment figures in secondary school TVET classes to be gender disaggregated by type of class Secondary School TVET classes/enrolment • • % enrolment in national TVET courses for students with • Data to be disaggregated by: • Gender • • Courses/qualifications locations disabilities • % enrolment in TVET classes in school for students with disabilities • No.
of applicants who need bridging courses to meet literacy or numeracy prerequisites to access training.

Enrolment figures in the “Youth age group (15-24 years)”.
• Quality: Enhanced quality of Skills development education and training through Linkages to labour markets; higher attainment levels at primary & secondary levels; competent and qualified instructors; upgraded equipment and teaching materials; certification & accreditation and monitoring and evaluation of outcomes • % of registered training providers (to accreditation body) • % of qualifications/courses that have been professionally assessed or validated by national/ international accreditation body Courses assessed in for the following: • • Inclusion of ICT competency module.
Incorporate climate change concepts % % • Food Security concepts • No.

of qualifications/courses that include input from partnerships with industries and employer groups • No.

of qualified TVET trainers as certified by national certification authorities (teaching and trade qualification and relevant industry experience) • No.
of courses that are supported by strong industry links or partnerships either through sponsorship or guarantee of employment • No of courses that are competency-based (work place skills).

Efficiency & Effectiveness: A more coordinated approach to skills development education and training including the informal sector through the rationalization of coordination at the national, regional and local levels and optimum resourcing levels.

• No.
• No.

of graduates with national TVET qualifications • % of high school students who graduate with some TVET Data disaggregated by courses/gender • Policies should include gender, subjects • Using tracer studies, No.

of graduates who are gainfully employed • No.

of policies for skills development developed in consultation with industry or employers.

Recent labour market survey conducted in country • inclusive education, climate change adaptation, food security etc.
49 SUBSECTOR 4: NON FORMAL EDUCATION (NFE) Agreed Indicators Cross cutting themes indicators Value Access & Equity Creation of pathways to non-formal education particularly for women and disadvantaged groups and establish links to the formal sector • Adult literacy rates (15 -24 years) • No of adult literacy programmes certified by National Certification Authorities Data disaggregated by: • • Gender Youth • % approved/certified facilitators with National • Certification Authorities Participation rate for both men and women in NFE programs • % of population never attended school – applicable to the older people • % of NFE providers promoting gender equality courses Quality: The development of quality assurance mechanisms for the non-formal sector • % of lifelong learning skills that promotes pacific culture, language and identity.
Ratio of instructors to participants at each NFE course • • Average level of education attainment of adults disaggregated by gender • No of graduates from the NFE • • % of participants demonstrating the intended Completion rate for NFE programmes competencies of the course (self-evaluation) Data to be disaggregated by: • • • • Gender Age Location Disabled persons % % % % % % % % % Ratio Ed Level Number % % Efficiency & Effectiveness Coordinating policies which are linked to national development strategies, private sector provision and the level of resourcing.
Existence of NFE policy • • No of NGO’s participating in the delivery of NFE programs Existence of pathways between formal, non-formal and • informal education systems • No of successful income generation programmes in NFE.

• Number of capacity building programmes for NFE providers and trainers.
• Promoting gender equality and Progressive empowerment of women scale Number Progressive scale Number Number 50 SUB SECTOR 5: TEACHER DEVELOPMENT: IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PRE-SERVICE EDUCATION ENHANCING THE STATUS OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION Agreed Indicators Cross cutting themes indicators Value Access & Equity Increased supply of trained teachers through well-resourced pre-service education and an increase in professional development through well-resourced In-Service teacher education Data disaggregated by: • • • • Gender Location Government Non-government • % of qualified and trained teachers (ECCE/primary/ secondary) as per National/Regional Minimum Standards disaggregated by gender and sub sector • % of untrained teachers who have been teaching for 5 or more years • % of pre-service recruitment meeting minimum academic requirements/recognition of prior experience (RPE) • % of pre-service training placements to identified • workforce needs.
Existence of beginning teacher induction and mentoring programmes in relation to teacher professional standards.

Quality: Enhanced quality assurance mechanisms with an emphasis on Pacific pedagogies • % of teachers that undertook targeted professional • development over the past 2 years.

PD policy framework has been developed and implemented • % of teachers maintaining the requirements for Data disaggregated by: • • • • Gender Location Government Non-government • registration.
Existence of teacher code of ethics and/or conduct that reflect teacher professional standards • % of teachers assessed as requiring additional advise/ guidance under the teacher performance management system Efficiency & Effectiveness Strengthen the status of the teaching profession and school leadership • % of teachers teaching outside their curriculum Data disaggregated by: • • • • Gender Location Government Non-government specialisation or level.
• % of teachers/principals that undertook leadership training over the past 2 years.

• Number of positions filled by staff from outside of the country • % of positions unfilled for more than 12 weeks.
• Existence of incentives for rural/remote and hard to fill positions • % of teachers leaving the profession prior to retirement • age Existence of linkages between teacher training institute and Ministry of Education • % of ECCE teachers paid by government as civil servants 51 % % % % Progressive scale % Progressive scale % Progressive scale % % % Number % Progressive scale % Progressive scale % SUB SECTOR 5: TEACHER DEVELOPMENT: IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PRE-SERVICE EDUCATION ENHANCING THE STATUS OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION Cross cutting themes indicators Value Agreed Indicators Access & Equity Increased supply of trained teachers through well-resourced pre-service education and an increase in professional development through well-resourced In-Service teacher education • % of qualified and trained teachers (ECCE/primary/ Data disaggregated by: secondary) as per National/Regional Minimum Standards disaggregated by gender and sub sector Gender Location • % of untrained teachers who have been teaching for 5 or Government Non-government Enhanced quality assurance mechanisms with an emphasis on Pacific pedagogies • % of teachers that undertook targeted professional Data disaggregated by: • • • • • • • • • • • • more years (RPE) • % of pre-service recruitment meeting minimum academic requirements/recognition of prior experience • % of pre-service training placements to identified workforce needs.
• Existence of beginning teacher induction and mentoring programmes in relation to teacher professional standards.

Quality: development over the past 2 years.

• PD policy framework has been developed and • % of teachers maintaining the requirements for implemented registration.
• Existence of teacher code of ethics and/or conduct that reflect teacher professional standards • % of teachers assessed as requiring additional advise/ guidance under the teacher performance management system Efficiency & Effectiveness specialisation or level.

• % of teachers/principals that undertook leadership training over the past 2 years.

• Number of positions filled by staff from outside of the country positions age • % of positions unfilled for more than 12 weeks.
• Existence of incentives for rural/remote and hard to fill • % of teachers leaving the profession prior to retirement • Existence of linkages between teacher training institute and Ministry of Education • % of ECCE teachers paid by government as civil servants Strengthen the status of the teaching profession and school leadership • % of teachers teaching outside their curriculum Data disaggregated by: Gender Location Government Non-government Gender Location Government Non-government % % % % Progressive scale Progressive Progressive % scale % scale % % % % Number Progressive scale % scale % Progressive SUB SECTOR 6: SYSTEMS GOVERNANCE & ADMINISTRATION (Leadership - Highest Authority in Education Sector) Agreed Indicators Cross cutting themes indicators Value Efficiency & Effectiveness Sector planning Assistance where required with capacity development in education sector planning; policy development; research and policy analysis; performance indicator development; costing and development of medium term expenditure frameworks, particularly in small island states • % of policy and planning staff involved in ongoing • • • relevant trainings and professional development The extent of school autonomy in regards to decisions on staffing, finance and policy.
Existence of a mid-term strategies to ensure the achievement of sector plans Strategies in place to maintain institutional capacity in policy and planning Donor harmonization and aid management: Data disaggregated by: • • Gender School types % Progressive scale Progressive scale Progressive scale Effective management of donor resources in light of enhanced roles and responsibilities for the region under the Paris Declaration.
• Clear outline of obligations by donors and executing agency in line with individual arrangements and international declarations; • Use of targeted budget support models as opposed to donor funding • % of donor funding contribution to the overall education budget • % of total donor funding allocated to education from • overall national donor fund Evaluation mechanism in place to assess the impact of Donor support programmes.
Assessment to consider the following: • • Clear terms and conditions Country (needs) driven not donor driven; Clear Responsibilities; • Sustainability; • • Accountability; Commitment; • Priority; • % Progressive scale % Progressive scale % Finance for education: Securing sustainable finance for education, rationalization of budgets and appropriate investment in all budget lines • % of national budget allocated to education; • % of education budget provided by private entities/ organisations • % of education budget on salaries; • % of national budget allocated to education as per GDP per capita • % of total expenditure on education as a share of GNI • • Education Expenditure per pupil Education expenditure per pupil as a share of GNI per capita Data to be disaggregated into: • • • • ECCE Primary Secondary TVET % % % % % Number Number 52 Finance for education: Securing sustainable finance for education, rationalization of budgets and appropriate investment in all budget lines • Existence of EMIS that is able to support evidenced based decisions making and planning for improvement of education systems • % of trained and qualified personnel to operate and support EMIS; PEDF M&E Framework aligned with national M&E system • • National Annual Education Statistics report published and widely disseminated to public Intergovernmental relations in education: Consideration of the following: Progressive scale • Ownership % • Integrity and reliability of Progressive scale data Progressive scale • Analysis and usage of information Clear and effective lines of communication, roles and responsibilities • • Existence of a communication strategy and agreements with other agencies to support educational outcomes.
Reduction in audit irregularities to provide assurance of accountability and transparency.

• • • Inclusive and consultative approach; Partnership and collaboration; Common mind sets and culture • • Progressive scale Progressive scale 53 ANNEX 3: Template for content / structure of a National Quality ECCE Framework While the previous section provided guiding questions to consider when developing a National ECCE Framework, below is a possible structure.
Basic Components for National Quality ECCE Framework Introductory Sections: 1.

Vision or goal – how does each country want to progress and implement ECCE?

2.

Context of quality framework – Key issues driving quality in ECCE in your country; current situation of ECCE; overview of implementation plan and challenges; links with existing frameworks / policies.

3.
3.

Methodology for development of national framework – process; engagement with stakeholders Principles Key principles that reflect your country’s unique understanding of quality in ECCE (I.e.

this might include, for example, a focus on the rights of the child; equality and diversity; engagement with families and communities; use of particular pedagogies / teaching approaches, etc.)

Quality Components Elements Indicators Based on PEDF, those 1.

Policy/Legislation & Governanc 1.


Activities & strategies for implementation of policy; 2.

Plans for governance of policy, including Advisory Group; 3.

Funding & costing of ECCE provision, including details of what is included (human resources, monitoring and assessment, communications, etc.).

relevant to ECE 1.
relevant to ECE 1.

National ECCE policies and planning Frameworks, drafted using guidelines Cross cutting themes: gender parity; vernacular language and culture; children with special needs; sustainable development and EiE; disadvantaged communities Value: #; progressive scale 2.

NER in ECE 3.

GER in ECE Cross cutting themes: Disaggregated by gender, vulnerable/ disadvantaged populations.

Value: % 4.

% of national budget allocated to education; 5.


% of education budget provided by private entities/organizations 6.

% of education budget on salaries; 7.

% of national budget allocated to education as per GDP per capita 8.

% of total expenditure on education as a share of GNI 9.

Education Expenditure per pupil 10.

Education expenditure per pupil as a share of GNI per capita 54 2.

Human Resources 1.

Teacher education and training; 2.

Recruitment and Retention, including outlined career path; 3.
Teacher remuneration and conditions; 4.

Teacher Professionalism.

1.

% of qualified and trained teachers (ECCE/primary/secondary) as per National/ Regional Minimum Standards disaggregated by gender and sub sector 2.

% of untrained teachers who have been teaching for 5 or more years 3.

% of pre-service recruitment meeting minimum academic requirements/ recognition of prior experience (RPE) 4.

% of pre-service training placements to identified workforce needs.

5.
5.

Existence of beginning teacher induction and mentoring programs in relation to teacher professional standards.

6.

% of teachers that undertook targeted professional development over the past 2 years.

7.

PD policy framework has been developed and implemented 8.

% of teachers maintaining the requirements for registration.

9.

Existence of teacher code of ethics and/or conduct that reflect teacher professional standards 10.
% of teachers assessed as requiring additional advise/guidance under the teacher performance management system 11.

% of positions unfilled for more than 12 weeks.

12.

Existence of incentives for rural/ remote and hard to fill positions 13.

% of teachers leaving the profession prior to retirement age 14.

Existence of linkages between teacher training institute and Ministry of Education 15.

% of ECCE teachers paid by government as civil servants 16.

Cross cutting themes: Gender; 55 3.


Curriculum Child Assessment & 1.

Vision, mission, principles Environment and goals specifically for the curriculum; 2.

Care and learning priorities for children in the country; role and training of teachers; 3.

Desired appropriate outcomes for children (i.e.

learning and development goals); 4.

Contextual benefits and challenges (realities) incorporated; 5.

Assessment and critical review procedures; 6.

Safety requirements for care and learning environments; 7.
Minimum Quality Service Standards for ECCE facilities; 8.

Design of learning environments; 9.

Include planning for transitions; 10.

Inclusive for children with special needs and respecting of child rights.

1.

% of ECCE centres which meet National Minimum Quality Service Standards (adult/child ratio, facilities, curriculum use, community based management, # and quality of teaching and learning resources, teacher performance and standards) by 2017 2.
Existence of ECCE curriculum including key principles of child development and monitoring of learning outcomes, which are gender sensitive Cross cutting themes: Data collected disaggregated by location (rural/urban) Value: %; progressive scale 4.

Performance Monitoring and 1.

Plans for monitoring / Assessment assessment, including required technical assistance & training; 2.

Clear purpose and priorities for 1.


% of policy and planning staff involved in ongoing relevant trainings and professional development assessment (focus on assessment for purposes of enhancement, not penalty); 2.

The extent of school autonomy in regards to decisions on staffing, finance and policy.

3.

Build on existing resources / systems; 4.

Clearly defined stakeholder and target groups, with roles and responsibilities; Incorporation of self-evaluation mechanisms for service providers; 6.
Linked to policy and budgeting for 5.

3.

Existence of a mid-term strategies to ensure the achievement of sector plans 4.

Strategies in place to maintain institutional capacity in policy and planning Cross cutting themes: Gender; School funds availability; types 7.

Linked to an appraisal system.

1.

Strategic Communication, with allocated resources and/or funding 2.

Representing the principle that “every voice matters” 3.

Community Ownership of ECCE Programs Value: %; progressive scale 1.
Level of parental/community involvement Cross cutting themes: Gender; Data collected disaggregated by location (rural/urban) Value: %; progressive scale 5.

Family and Community Partnerships 6.

Conclusion Summarization of the key issues in your country, as well as the process taken to achieve the completion of this Framework.

Highlight the next steps for implementation, whom will be responsible for oversight, and how often this document should be reviewed.
56 Annex 4: Zero to Three Considerations identified due to the During the development of the “Pacific Guidelines for the Development of National Quality Frameworks for ECCE - Programming for Ages Three to Five”, the need for guidelines for programming for ages 0-3 importance was of the prenatal period and the earliest years of life.
The following information is included as countries begin to consider programming for this group, but should be seen as initial recommendations only; it is the PRC4ECCE’s intent to develop more comprehensive guidelines in partnership with other stakeholders at a later date.

Kiribati parents waiting at ECCE center Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Policy, Legislation, and Governance Zero to Three programs has very different needs compared to children aged 3-5 years.
Focus for 0-3 programming is less on school readiness, and more on holistic development, health, nutrition, safety.

Additional benchmarks might include: • What kind of qualification is required for the 0-3 service providers?

• How will other Ministries outside of those responsible for education be involved in the planning, development, and implementation of a National Quality Framework?

• How will activities across Ministries be coordinated?

• What modes of services are best for children Zero to Three?
• How are teacher to child ratios adapted to accommodate children Zero to Three?

• Ratios for adult-to-infant/toddlers are much smaller, due to the increased needs of younger children for care, supervision, and interaction.

• Do you have a child Protection Policy in Place?

If so, how has it being implemented?

Is it clear that it is understood by those who work with children?

Is there a policy on corporal punishment?

Are there any processes for non-compliance?


Is there any written guidance on recognizing and responding to protection concerns?

Are there focal persons in place to respond to CP incidents?

Are counselling, medical services available by trained personnel?

Are home visits by teachers (both informal/formal basis) provided, by specialized service providers?
• Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Human Resources Children Zero to Three requires enhanced caregiving compared to children aged 3-5 years: • What, if any, additional requirements for employment, registration and/or certification needs may be different when hiring professionals to work with children Zero to Three compared to young children?

57 • What additional training needs for teachers working with children Zero to Three are needed?
• How ratios are for caregiver / teacher: child increased for people working with children Zero to Three, to reflect the greater need for one-to-one adult interactions with younger children?

• Staff recruitment- Are there policies that regulate hiring of staff & teachers to ensure suitability?

Is there a background check mechanism?

Do Codes of Conduct for teachers dealing with this age group exist?
Are all staff provided training on Child Protection Principles and Abuse Awareness training in addition to their regular training?

Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Curriculum, Child Assessment, and Environment Children aged Zero to Three requires greater safety and security considerations compared to young children.

• What would “curriculum” for children aged Zero to Three include?

• Are the specific developmental needs of children aged Zero to Three catered for in the curriculum (i.e.
care routines matched to individual infants’ own daily routine – sleeping, feeding, cuddling, etc.)?

Is the curriculum for children aged Zero to Three relationship-based (i.e.

emphasises the importance of warm and responsive care-giving and interactions)?

Children playing in a sandbox in Solomon Islands • • Would a parenting education / involvement component be included?

• What materials and resources could/could not be used with children aged Zero to Three compared to young children?
• How would indoor/outdoor environmental standards be changed to meet the different needs of children aged Zero to Three (i.e.

sleep facilities; safe play areas; nappy changing facilities; private areas for breast-feeding mothers)?

• Are health assessment; nutrition; cross-sectoral / departmental interventions included in the programme / curriculum?
• Does the curriculum contain information for parents and children on the awareness of child protection principles and self-protection (for example, young children learning to use the toilet could be at risk of inappropriate touching)?

Are there guidelines and procedures to minimize risk on field trips etc.?

Is there planned media awareness on Child Protection for children, families & communities?
Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Monitoring and Assessment • Is there monitoring of different kinds of programmes for children aged Zero to Three currently exist in the nation?

• Are there monitoring / assessment procedures in place to ensure quality provision (related specifically to the developmental needs of children aged Zero to Three) in these programmes / services?

58 • Do any forms, monitoring procedures need adaptation in order to represent services for children aged Zero to Three?
Zero to Three Programming Considerations in Family and Community Partnerships • Do consultations with community relating to ECCE refer to the specific needs of children aged Zero to Three, if children of this age are included in national programming?

• Are health practitioners / community health centres included in consultations and planning related to the care and education of children aged Zero to Three?
• How might community partnerships and community engagement be different for children aged Zero to Three programming, especially if the mode of services is informal, home-based, and/or through community gatherings?

Is there regular collaboration between key players for safety of children?

PTA involvement, involvement of other agencies?

Are there any mechanisms at the community levels that discuss child protection issues?
• Annex 5: Minimum Standards - Examples • Indoor AND outdoor learning environments Indoor includes all areas of development (science, language/ library/literacy, math, dance/ music, dramatic/pretend play, arts and crafts) • Outdoor Nauru children playing with musical instruments swings, includes: balancing, slides, climbing, sand and water play (should be covered when not in use), carpentry, balls, jumping rope, planting/gardening, recycling.
Balance between natural and commercial resources provided; opportunities are gender balanced, and inclusive.

At least one area in the outdoor play should be shaded.

Outdoor area should be fenced, and raked/ cleaned for safety and health.

• Learning environment should be accessible for all teachers and children, including those with special needs.

• Safety • At least 1 supervisor trained in basic first aid should be mandatory.
Each centre should have at least one complete 1st aid kit, to be inventoried and updated every term.

Safety signs are displayed around environment (as pre- literacy and safety opportunities for children to learn).

Out-of-bound areas for children are clearly marked, blocked off, and signed.

An area for sick children is provided for rest away from the other children until a parent can pick the child up.
59 • Teacher: child ratios are recommended 1:15 • Emergency plans • Every centre and each classroom should have a clearly visible evacuation plan and map, with designated meeting point outside of centre.

Exits are clearly marked and accessible; regular drills for evacuation are practiced by staff.

If possible, at least 1 fire extinguisher is provided per classroom, with a teacher trained on its use.

When applicable, boat safety is practiced (lifejackets available).
Every centre has an Education in Emergencies (EiE) plan.

• EiE plans include: earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, tidal waves, hurricanes, heavy storms, flooding • Emergency numbers closest to the ECCE centres are clearly posted, and programmed in every ECCE teachers’ phone.

Every centre should determine a “Plan B” on how to contact emergency numbers/immediate authorities/ parents should mobile/phone service be down.
• A copy of the list of emergency contacts for parents is to be kept in a central location, easy to grab during an emergency.

• ECCE programs should plan how safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities will be obtained and maintained during emergency situations.

• Water and sanitation • Safe drinking water is available and easily accessible at all times to children.
Toilets are provided and easily accessible – at least 2 (minimum) child-sized toilets, 1 for boys and 1 for girls, and 1 adult toilet for teachers.

Water and soap should always be available outside the toilets for hand washing and air drying.

Toilets must be in working order; appropriate toilets (e.g.

flush-toilets, ventilated improved pit-latrines, or composting toilets) are encouraged, and cleaned daily or after child “accidents”.
Changing tables or changing area for those in diapers must be positioned away from all food and play areas, and cleaned properly after each use.

Water storage tanks are encouraged for centres to provide steady, ongoing access to water, also to secure access during emergencies.

One tap for showering/cleaning available for children needing extra clean-up is provided.
• Ventilation • 2 doors minimum with a reasonable number and size of windows are provided per classroom, to ensure airflow and at least one exit during emergencies.

• Adequate space • Outdoor – 2-3 square m per child minimum.

• Indoor – 2mx2m per child minimum.

• An example of adequate space in Fiji is 10 m x 10 m for outdoor space, and 1 m x 1 m for indoor space.

• There should be at least 1 lockable cabinet, shelf, etc.
for teacher supplies 60 and toys minimum, per teacher, preferably a teachers’ office/storage room if possible.

Toys stored at children’s level in child-friendly baskets or containers for ease of accessing and packing away/ tidy up to encourage independence and responsibility.
• Child friendly design and resources • Bright, attractive, and interesting colours and pictures are used; toys (preferably made from natural/ local resources) and outdoor play equipment are safe; learning areas clearly labelled for pre-literacy, signs and pictures; child drawings displayed with respect.

Things are hung at child- level for child sight.

Child playing outside in Cook Islands • Any furniture used should be child-sized and –height.
• Learning environment layout should be conducive to children’s learning.

• Child protection • Does the curriculum contain information for children on awareness and self- protection issues?

Are there guidelines and procedures to minimize risk on field trips etc.?

Is there planned media awareness on Child Protection for children, families & communities?
61 Annex 6: PRC4ECCE Participants Involved in Document Creation Following is a list of people and organizations who attended at least 1 PRC4ECCE meeting and participated in a review of this document.
Country Representatives – Ministries of Education Country, Position Cook Islands, ECE Advisor Fiji, Senior Education Officer, ECE Kiribati, Senior Education Officer, ECE/Primary Marshall Islands, Assistant Secretary of Schools Federated States of Micronesia, ECE Program Manager Nauru, ECE Manager Niue Palau Samoa Solomon Islands, Director ECE Tonga Institute of Education, ECE Coordinator Tuvalu, ECE Education Officer Vanuatu, National Preschool Coordinator Additional Country Representatives Asst Director, Ministry of Social Welfare, Fiji Director, Social Welfare Dept, Solomon Islands Child Desk Officer, Ministry of Justice, Vanuatu Advisory Board Organization, Position Australian Aid Australia Pacific Technical College Ms. Diana Hurford Name Ms. Upokoina Tamarua Ms. Jokapeci Kurabui Mr. Mataiasi Tuivanuayalewa (former) Ms. Bonoue Kaiteie Tabaka Mr. Kanchi Hosia Mr. Mario Abello Ms. Emmaline Caleb Ms. O’Love Hekesi Ms. Marla Ito Ms. Utumoa Seupule Ms. Bernadine Ha’amori Ms. Soana Kitiona Ms. Teimana Avanitele Ms. Jennifer James Ms. Ela Tukutukulevu Mr. Aaron Olofia Ms. Leias Kaltovie Name Ms. Tina Seniloli Ms. Kerry Kirk Ms. Diana Hurford Fiji National University, Head of Department Early Childhood Ms. Ufemia Camaitoga Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, Social Policy Advisor, Save the Children Australia Save the Children-Fiji, Education Manager University of the South Pacific World Bank (Australia) Senior Education Specialist, East Asia and Pacific Consultant World Vision Secretariat – UNICEF Pacific Mr. Filipe Jitoko Ms. Lynne Benson Ms. Barbara Ratabacaca Ms. Kelesi Whippy Ms. Binh Than Vu Mr. Kevin Macdonald Dr. Andrew Catford Ms. Pri Fernando Early Childhood Development Specialist, UNICEF Pacific (PRC4ECCE Chair) Ms. Wendy Rich-Orloff Programme Assistant – Education, UNICEF Pacific Ms. Venina Ratulevu; Ms. Julie-anne Chief of Education, UNICEF Pacific Education Officer, UNICEF Pacific Education Specialist, UNICEF Pacific Buwawa Ms. Niki Abrishamian Mr. Iosefo Volau Mr. Simon Jan Molendijk 62 Education Officer, UNICEF Sol Is Field Office Education Specialist, UNICEF Vanuatu Field Office Education Specialist, UNICEF Pacific Tuvalu Field Office Child Protection Officer, UNICEF Pacific Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Pacific Education Specialist, UNICEF EAPRO Individuals Australia Youth Ambassador for Development Consultant, Education Advisor, Australian Aid Director, Ministry of Education, Tonga Director, Ministry of Education, Tuvalu Ministry of Education, Tuvalu Universiti Brunei Darussalam Mr. Abel Likaveke Ms. Christina Lulu Karae Mr. Krishna KC Ms. Laisani Petersen Ms. Carmen Monclus Girones Ms. Chemba Raghavan Ms. Charlotte Boyer Ms. Audrey Aarons Ms. Emeli Pouvalu Ms. Katalina Taloka Ms. Temukisa Hauma Ms. Emma Claire Pearson 63 References James Heckman, The Heckman Equation: The Economics of Human Potential.
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org/rosa/217145e.pdf Regional Pacific Island Country Examples and Additional Resources Policies, Frameworks: Australian National Quality Framework (http://acecqa.gov.au/national-quality- framework/).
Siolta: The Irish National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education (http:// www.siolta.ie/) Nauru – “National Quality Schools Standards Framework” component #3 Fiji – “Policy in early childhood education”; “policy in school excursions” Education in Emergencies: International Network for Education in Emergencies: http://www.ineesite.org/en/ The INEE toolkit provides “practical, field-friendly tools and resources” to help education programs plan for emergencies and continue supporting educational activities during the response and recovery phases post-emergency.
Issues include: funding, teaching/learning, school minimum standards, external education construction, teacher compensation, inclusive education, and gender issues.

http:// toolkit.ineesite.org/toolkit/Toolkit.php?PostID=1001 Curriculum: Fiji - Ministry of Education, (2009) Na Noda Mataniciva Management, Monitoring and Assessment: Nauru - “National Quality Schools and Assessment” – school standards, includes ECCE.
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Child Protection: Fiji - Ministry of Education, (November 2010) “Policy in child protection of the ministry of education and Fiji schools”.
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65