Sharing Web Resources

Dear all,

World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) is getting people interested in a conference where they will share innovative practices (http://www.worldomep.org/en/early-childhood-education-innovators-share-your-practices-open-call-for-applications/. This is a topic that is relevant for me because i am new in this field and it is always good to learn from professionals ways they used and from which they got satisfying results with children. 

In a new OMEP project they want to support early childhood practitioners, trainers, researchers and advisers in their practical efforts to empower young children to escape some of these disadvantages that they face due to an accident of birth into poverty, abuse or discrimination. They are putting together a web site (http://www.ecesustainability.org) to provide resources and links to support the development of these practical projects, and it will also provide a means of sharing good practice in these areas.

Teacher training resources for Education for Sustainable Development is a positive initiative that aims to teach to members: October 15, 2014:  National Committee Presidents, or their designees, submit a letter of interest to me atIngrid.Pramling@ped.gu.se. February 1, 2015:  Submissions due at Ingrid.Pramling@ped.gu.se.

My ECD and Family Contact

My Early Childhood Development and Family Contact is a specialist at UNICEF Rwanda. His name is Michael Banda. UNICEF Rwanda's purpose is to make immunization, maternal care, stimulation and readiness accessible to children aged 0 to 6 years. It is a continuum of services delivered by the partnership with the government of Rwanda.

Rwanda is a developing country with 44% of the population living below the poverty line.

The importance of human development has been addressed in Rwanda’s second five-year Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, launched in July 2013. As one of the pillars of this strategy, human development encompasses the arenas of health and nutrition, education, ECD, social policy and child protection. As noted by UNICEF, ECD has been identified as a national priority for the implementation of this strategy[1]. While 96% of children are enrolled in primary school, only 12.7% of children are enrolled in formal pre-primary education[2]. An analysis of ECD in Rwanda identified that the major constraints in the sector are lack of coordination, allocation of ECD budget and insufficient supply of affordable ECD services.[3]

As part of its commitment to improving ECD outcomes, the Government of Rwanda has increased the budget allocation for pre-primary education for 2013- 2018; while until 2009 ECD funding represented only 0.005% of the education budget, the figure for 2013-2014 was 2%.[4]^,[5]

I appreciate the work of organizations like UNICEF whose purpose is the well- being and development of children worldwide. Thank you.

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[1] UNICEF 2013 UNICEF Annual Report 2013- Rwanda, http://www.unicef.org/about/annualreport/files/Rwanda_COAR_2013.pdf

[2] Rwanda Statistical Yearbook 2014, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, Government of Rwanda, November 2013

[3] UNICEF 2013 UNICEF Annual Report 2013- Rwanda, http://www.unicef.org/about/annualreport/files/Rwanda_COAR_2013.pdf

[4] Save the Children 2013 Laying the Foundation: Early Childhood development in Rwanda http://www.rencp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Laying-the-Foundations-Rwanda-Brief-7th-Jan_final.pdf

[5] UNICEF 2015 ToR - Analysis of the costs of pre-primary Education in Rwanda http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/ToR_Analysis_of_the_costs_of_pre_primary_Education_in_Rwanda.docx

Sharing about OMEP

The World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) is an international, non- governmental and non- profit organization concerned with all aspects of early childhood education and care (ECEC).

OMEP defends and promotes the rights of the child to education and care worldwide and supports activities which improve accessibility to high quality education and care.

OMEP is currently established in over 70 countries and is represented at meetings of UNESCO, UNICEF and other international organizations with similar aims.

OMEP is providing education and care for Syria's littlest refugees who represent an example of the issue of demographic change. There is a very big refugee camp in Jordan where Syrians have already spent three years. Today, Syrians are massively taking refuge in Europe and soon in the United States  of America which promised to grant asylum to ten thousand Syrians.

http://www.worldomep.org/

Establishing Professional Contacts

Hello everyone,

I am glad to have you on this masters journey.
I tried to contact the new UNICEF Early Childhood specialist in Rwanda, but i will be meeting him during the week.
I also contacted a consultant who worked on the new Early Childhood Education Policy in Rwanda, and i will meet her next week too.

In Rwanda, just over 12% of children between the ages of 3- 6 have access to any type of early learning and development services, and these tend to be in urban areas because it is too costly for poorer parents.

Rwanda approved its ECD Policy and Strategic Plan in 2011. Its goal is to ensure all Rwandan children achieve their potential, are healthy, well- nourished and safe, and their mothers, fathers and communities become nurturing caregivers through receiving integrated early childhood development services. Nine ECD and Family Centers have been launched in 2013 with Imbuto Foundation in partnership with UNICEF.

The journey of developing the early childhood field in Rwanda has just begun.

Thank you.