Institutional Management of ECD: The Jamaican Model. National Forum of Educational Quality 2010 Bogota, Colombia July, 2010

Transcription

1 Institutional Management of ECD: The Jamaican Model National Forum of Educational Quality 2010 Bogota, Colombia July, 2010

2 Instructions for Presentation Describe main transformations of the early educational system How has the system been able to respond to the socioeconomic and cultural challenges children face? What does integrated EC care mean? What are the key factors to achieve articulation between early childhood and other educational levels? How does integration of care services work in the Jamaican model? How does the cross-sectoral planning process work? How does educational policy impact the management of EC schools? What is the importance of and roles that parents and teachers play? What are the challenges of institutional management?

3 Outline of Presentation Country Context: Jamaica and ECD context Transformations of EC Sector Conceptual Shift from ECE to ECD Establishment of co-ordinating body : The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) Mandate of ECC Organisational Structure Roles and Practical Application Cross-Sectoral Co-ordination Successes and Challenges

4 Jamaica: A Description Population : 2.8 million EC Age band : 18.2% of population 0-9 years Birth Rate: 17 births per 1,000 Life expectancy: 72 yrs (M), 75 yrs (F) IMR: 16 per 1,000 births One of the highest debt: GDP ratios in the world Debt service: 55.7% Education: 12.6% Health: 5.3%

5 Current Early Childhood Landscape 400,000 children 0-8 years Parents and family members 2,700 Schools/ Day Care for children 0-5 years 6,000+ Early Childhood practitioners 80 Education Officers Teacher Training Institutions Early Childhood Unit (recently dissolved) Early Childhood Commission 350+ Well Child care Clinics and their staff Community Based Programmes: parenting, rehabilitation Child Development Agency (Child Care & Protection Act) Numerous sponsors and supporters : Churches, Private Sector, NGO s, LDPs, IDPs

6 Main Transformations of EC System in Jamaica

7 Main Transformations of EC System 1. Conceptual shift from ECE to more comprehensive and holistic ECD 2. Establishment of a single co-ordinating body for ECD 3. Development of a cross-sectoral National Strategic Plan for ECD

8 Conceptual Shift from ECE to ECD (Late 1990s to 2000) Local Research : Profiles Project (late 90s) Regional Developments :Caribbean Plan of Action for ECD International Research : Neurons to Neighborhoods (2000)

9 The Establishment of the ECC (2000 to 2005) Strategic review of ECD sector recommended Conducted by KPMG and managed by PIOJ (2000) Review reported much activity in early childhood sector, but poor co-ordination Recommended establishment of a national coordinating body, the ECC Paper presented to Cabinet and Parliament to establish the ECC (2003)

10 Mandate of ECC I (Legislated by ECC ACT) Advisory to Government: Advise the Cabinet (Ministers of Government) through the Minister of Education on policy matters relating to ECD, including initiatives and actions to achieve national ECD goals Facilitate Plan and Programme Development: Assist in preparation of plans and programmes concerning ECD Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitor and evaluate implementation of plans for ECD and make recommendations to the Govt. through MOE

11 Mandate of ECC II (Legislated) Co-ordinate EC Activities Act as a co-ordinating agency to streamline ECD activities Conduct Stakeholder Consultations Convene consultations with relevant stakeholders Make Budgetary Recommendations to GOJ Analyse resource needs and make recommendations for budgetary allocations for ECD Identify Alternative Financial Resources Identify alternative financing through negotiation with donor agencies and liase with donor agencies to ensure efficient and effective use of donor funds

12 Mandate of ECC III (Legislated) Regulation Regulate early childhood institutions Research and Publication Conduct research on ECD and publish information for the public

13 Structure of ECC : Overall Board of Management - Strategic Direction - Policy Recommendations Sub-Committees of Board - Additional Expertise to Board Operational Arm - Effects Boards Directions - Day to Day Operations

14 Structure of ECC Board of Management II Number of members legislated: not < 12, not >20 Composition legislated to ensure breadth of skills 2 types of Commissioners - Organisational - Personal

15 Structure of ECC Board of Management III Organisational Representatives Relevant Government Ministries (Permanent Secretary s Rep.) - Health - Education - Local Government - Labour & Social Security - Finance Government s Planning Agency : Planning Institute of Jamaica Government s Child Protection Agency: Child Development Agency Opposition Party Representative Personal Representatives Specialists - Paediatrics - Nursing - Child Mental Health - Child Development - Nutrition - Education In practice, included representative from the Private Sector Organisation and the Jamaican Early Childhood Association (umbrella group for EC practitioners)

16 Structure of ECC: Board Sub-Committees I Legislation allows appointment of subcommittees as necessary, must include 2 Board members In practice, chaired by Board members Recommendations made to Board 3 types: Technical Administrative Ad-Hoc (Temporary)

17 Structure of ECC: Board Sub-Committees II Technical SC mirror operational arms of ECC - Legal and Regulatory - Training and Development - Community Intervention and Parenting - Research - Public Education Over 50 organisatons and individual specialists represented on SC

18 Structure of ECC: Board Sub-Committees III Administrative SC - Finance - Audit - Human Resource - Governance Ad Hoc SC address specific temporary issues e.g. Hurricane Response

19 Structure of ECC Operational Arm II Executive Director Reports to the Chairman Administrative Directors / Managers Director of Finance Manager Human Resource and Administration Manager IT Operational Directors / Managers - Director Regulation & Monitoring - Director Development Services Manager Training & Development Manager Community Intervention & Parenting Manager Development Services (School Dev) - Director Cross-Sectoral Co-ordination Manager Research - Manager Communication and Public Education

20 Role in Policy Development: Led by Board Practical Application Commenced development of National Parenting Policy Currently developing the National Early Childhood Policy

21 Role in Strategic Plan Development : Led by Board Practical Application I Developed first cross sectoral NSP for ECD in Jamaica ( ) in collaboration with health, social sector and finance sectors Completed second year of implementation. Mid-Term review Process recently completed

22 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SECTOR STRATEGY MAP OCTOBER 2007 National impact I1. Critical thinking, socially competent, healthy children ready for life I2. Parents are informed, educated, involved and supported in meeting early childhood development needs Customer satisfaction I1. Our children s special needs are taken care of I2. Fathers, mothers, guardians are involved and satisfied with services provided to their children Key processes Working environment IP1: Effective parenting education and support IP2: Effective preventive health care LG1: The sector and sector agencies are achieveing targets and are governed by frameworks that promote achieving results in a consultative environment IP3: Effective screening, diagnosis and intervention for at risk IP4: Safe learner centred wellmaintained EC facilities IP5: Effective curriculum delivery by trained early childhood practitioners LG2: Timely clear and current information to support evidence based decision making

23 Role in Strategic Plan Development : Practical Application II Performance Based System 9 targets each year, with at least one in each of the seven areas ( 5 Processes and 2 Working Environment). Numerous monitoring indicators each year. Many of the monitoring indicators in the early years must be accomplished for targets to be met in later years Targets are cross sectoral: 50% of targets are within the ECC 33% of targets are within the MOH Others MOE, MOLSS, PIOJ, Teacher Training Institutions MOU s signed with partners each year

24 Role in Strategic Plan Development : Practical Application III Cross-sectoral planning and budgeting meeting each year, to ensure that targets are budgeted for. ECD budget sent to Ministry of Finance Process co-ordinated by the ECC

25 Role in Quality and Standards I: ECC Responsible for Regulation of early childhood centres Effected through legislation - Early Childhood Act and Regulations (2005) for the regulation and monitoring of ECIs Managed by Director of Regulation who heads a team of EC inspectors Supported by Legal and Regulatory SC

26 Role in Quality and Standards II: Practical Application Development of National Standards document with 12 standards for early childhood institutions (legal and voluntary) and performance criteria 1) Staff 2) Dev / Ed. Programme 3) Interactions with Children 4) Physical Environment 5) Equipment & Furnishings 6) Health 7) Nutrition 8) Safety 9) Child Rights/Protection/Eq. 10) Interactions with Parent/Comm. 11) Administration 12) Finance Inspection Process results in one of 3 outcomes: 1) Full registration - Centre meets all legal standards 2) Permit to Operate - Centre meets min. health and safety standards 3) Recommendation for closure - Centre does not meet min. health and safety standards

27 Role in Quality and Standards III: Practical Application 94% of all EC Centres have applied for registration with ECC 76% have been inspected against the 12 standards and provided with inspection report as to status 15% have been issued permits to operate. Many more to come No certificates of full registration issued yet. Main problem teacher qualification and ratios.

28 Role in Development Support : Practical Application I Regulation must be supported by school development services Manager Training and Development ensures adequate curriculum for children and access to quality teacher training programmes - New EC curriculum 0-3 yrs issued HR Strategy developed 2010 Manager Development Services manages team of School Development Officers - Receive copies of Inspection reports - Work with EC centres to improve status

29 Role in Development Support : Practical Application II Nutrition Strategy developed 2010 Recipe Manuals, Menus, Nutrition User Guides developed. Being provided to all Schools

30 Role in Programmes and Services Practical Application I Co-ordinating development of Parenting Programmes nationally Co-ordinated development and implementation of new early childhood curriculum, including practitioner training Worked with NGO s to provide supports to ECIs, including teaching and learning materials

31 Role in Research I: Practical Application I Numerous research projects undertaken to support inspection process, development functions, implementation of child rights etc Annual cross sectoral conferences held to focus on areas of attention: corporal punishment, screening and early intervention, nutrition National Household Survey now includes broad measures / indicators of child development for the first time

32 Role in Research : Practical Application II Report on status of EC centres to be available to public in future Annual report to public on status of child development to be produced in future

33 Role in Budgeting I: Practical Application Co-ordinated EC Budgeting Process in development along with NSP Alternative financing successful from both IDP and LDP (Grants and Loans) Recommendations for budgetary allocations awaiting information from recent processes: inspection, HR strategy, nutrition strategy etc.

34 Cross-Sectoral Coordination: Multiple Levels Board members cross sectoral and include public stakeholders Board sub-committees cross sectoral and include public stakeholders NSP is cross sectoral Cross sectoral budgeting co-ordinated by ECC (presently linked to WB Loan) Cross Sectoral Co-ordinator in structure Frequent consultations with public

35 SUCCESSES and CHALLENGES of ECC I ECC established as central agency for ECD coordination (Acceptance of this has been difficult for some existing stakeholders) Existence of cross sectoral NSP allows continuity of plan despite changing personnel (Not always successful in practice)

36 SUCCESSES and CHALLENGES of NSP Channelling and co-ordination of GOJ ECD Activities and donor funds to single NSP goal II (Donor fund co-ordination still a work in progress, but majority of IDP and major local DP funds invested in NSP) Cross-sectoral work is inherently difficult. (Progress continues to be made)