Legal Mandate Policies Kindergarten is a Key to life

Legal Mandate/Policies Kindergarten is a Key to life long learning Kindergarten Education for All Children

Presentation Outline Thrusts, Goal and Outcome until 2015 Rationale and Legal Mandate Kindergarten Catch Up Education Program

Background and Rationale Ø Reality in Education: Rapidly changing world that needs empowered and lifelong learners Ø Millennium Development Goal (2015): Achieve universal primary education Ø Education for All (EFA 2015): Basic Competencies for Everyone to Achieve Literacy for All Ø

Legal Mandate Ø R. A. 10157 “Kindergarten Education Act” with Implementing Rules and Regulations (Dep. ED Order No. 32, s. 2012) Sec. 2: …All children can avail of mandatory, compulsory kindergarten education that effectively promotes physical, social, intellectual, emotional and skill stimulation and values formation to sufficiently prepare them formal elementary schooling.

Cont. of Sec. 2 • Kindergarten education is vital to the academic and technical development of the Filipino child for it is the period when the young mind’s absoptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest. It is also the policy of the State to make education learneroriented and responsive to the needs, cognitive and cultural capacity, the circumstances and diversity of learners, schools and communities through appropriate languages of teaching and learning.

Sec. 3 c: Kindergarten education means one (1) year preparatory education for children at least 5 years old as prerequisite for Grade 1. Sec. 4: Institutionalization of Kindergarten Education starting SY 2012 -2013…and thereafter be made compulsory for all Grade 1 pupils.

Sec. 5: . . . Mother tongue of the child shall be used as the primary medium of instruction except…. IRR – Sec. 4: Institutionalization of Kindergarten Education: 4. 1 General Kindergarten Education 4. 1. 1 Inclusion of Kinder education that caters to children with special needs … and children with diverse needs…. 4. 1. 2 Catch Up Program for Children under Difficult Circumstances

Thrusts and Philippine EFA Goal Desired Outcome indergarten ey for life long learning…. .

THRUSTS Philippine EFA 2015 § Universal school participation and elimination of dropouts and repetition in the kindergarten until first three grades § Universal completion of the full cycle of basic education schooling with satisfactory achievement by all, from kindergarten, every grade or year level § Total community commitment to kindergarten education services

Thrust: Expanding Access and Equity to Kindergarten Education Directions: 1: Provision of kinder education to all 5 -yr. old children in regular schools 2. Inclusion of children with disabilities in regular kinder classes

Thrust: Improving Quality of Kindergarten Education Directions: 1: Provision of enhanced kinder curriculum: thematic in approach within the context of mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) 2: Provision of developmentally age-, and culturally- appropriate instructional materials

Thrust: Improving Quality of Kindergarten Education Directions: 3: Intensify the conduct of assessment tools: ECCD Checklist and SRe. YA for intervention purposes 4: Construction of standard kindergarten classrooms

Directions: 5: Building teacher-leaders through institution -based training for master’s degree through blended learning (face-to-face & e-learning) & conduct of TOTs for school/cluster – based training

Thrust: Achievement of Learning Outcomes through School-Based Management Directions: 1: Practice the elements of SBM/ governance/empowerment - participatory planning and implementation in the SIP - transparency in fund management - judicious/prudent use of resources - practice responsibility with accountability

Directions: 2: Expand enrich partnership with parents, LGUs, the community, NGOs and other stakeholders - health and nutrition program - enrichment program

Desired Outcomes Until 2015 99% participation of 5 -year old children to kindergarten education services until MDGs and EFA goal 2015 80% of 5 -year old children have acquired readiness and basic foundational skills 100% completion of kindergarten program of 5 -year old children 2% reduction of the severely-wasted children per year indergarten ey for life long learning…. .

Kindergarten Catch Up Education Program (KCEP) (Dep. Ed Order 11, s. 2014) indergarten ey for life long learning…. .

Program Description An educational intervention for children five-(5) year-old and above who do not have access to schools or daycare centers or those who live under difficult circumstances, such as, but not limited to: chronic illness, displaced due to armed conflict, urban resettlement, disasters, extreme poverty child abuse such as domestic violence, neglect and abandonment, and who are not able to finish the General Kindergarten Program

Objectives: Access to alternative educational programs for all children five (5) year-old and above who have not attended kindergarten because they do not have access to public schools or day care centers and/or they may be experiencing difficult circumstances; Foundational preparatory/school readiness skills to those children entering Grade I; and Children with opportunities for their holistic development that are created and implemented through partnership among the school, community and other stakeholders of basic education

Target children Specifically, all five (5) year-old and above who have not attended or completed kindergarten classes or other community-based early childhood education interventions are eligible to this program

Components A. Planning Mechanics The school shall take the lead in mapping out the local data, in consultation with the barangay, municipality, DSWD, MSWDO, MHO The district offices, schools information on enrolment and conduct rapid assessment or family survey of recipient under Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4 Ps)

A. Planning Mechanics Prepare individual profile of children and consolidate according to their needs Identify viable and suitable locations, potential teachers/facilitators/volunteers, instructional resources and possible partners Ensure strong involvement of the community, LGUs and NGOs on the mapping, planning & implementation of the program

B. Program Implementation Organize and orient all members of the KCEP Provide clear roles and responsibilities Articulate the resource sharing arrangements, e. g. Dep. Ed will take charge of the IMs thru school MOOE, while the LGUs/NGOs can tap their own funding sources for the honorarium of the facilitators, school feeding, learning sites, etc.

Discussed the schedule of implementation, like the recommended timetable

Divisions, districts, schools shall start conducting classes after the children have been identified, assessed, and systematically placed in their appropriate educational intervention open to all depending on the situational needs held either in schools, daycare centers, and other learning areas in the community or in homes

Those Divisions who are ready to conduct classes after the Early Registration Day shall start January to May Divisions, districts, schools shall require a copy of birth certificate or any legitimate document as basis for official listing and assigning learners reference number Shall acknowledge and/or issue a certificate for those who completed the KCEP

C. Program Classes Delivery Mode KCEP delivery mode can be adapted depending on the child’s nearest area School-based classes – if there available classrooms or any make-shift learning site in the barangay or community that will not compromise the safety and health of the children Daycare center-based kindergarten classes – if children have no access to public schools. Daycare worker can be tapped, trained and provided with appropriate curriculum & conduct separate classes for the kinder children

C. Program Classes Delivery Mode KCEP delivery mode can be adapted depending on the child’s nearest area Home-based/community-based playgroups – if children have no access to public schools nor daycare centers. Families/mothers and parents can be: Organized to provide necessary guidance to children Facilitated the playgroups by trained parent, community volunteers, BHW, BNS, etc.

Itinerant teachers or daycare workers from nearby community shall train the parent, or volunteers the fundamental learning and school skills Divisions, districts, schools shall responsible in providing the necessary instructional support for the facilitators Coordinate with the existing Supervised Neighborhood Playgroups (SNPs) by DSWD, or NGOs such as Plan International and Save the Children

D. Curriculum for KCEP For school-based and center-based classes Twenty (20) weekly plans intended for five (5)months Eight (8) weekly plans intended for two (2) months For home-based and communitybased playgroups Modules or session guides will be patterned with the existing SNPs

D. Child Development Monitoring Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) checklist School Readiness Year-End Assessment (SRe. YA) Teacher/facilitator must also employ various methods assessment , like observation, direct account of child’s behavior, interview of parents/caregivers to further determine the child’s needed educational intervention

General Support for the Program Regions, Divisions, Districts/Schools may design measures when appropriate, to wit: Formulate MOA between the Dep. Ed and other stakeholders or members involve in the KCEP Explore possibilities to grant of service credits to teachers willing to serve with reference to Dep. Ed Order 23, s. 2003, Updated Guidelines on Grant of Vacation Service Credits to Teachers; and

General Support for the Program Regions, Divisions, Districts/Schools may design measures when appropriate, to wit: Provide assistance in terms of contingency needs of the teachers/facilitators, e. g. basic supplies and instructional materials, transportation mechanism, among others

Program Monitoring and Evaluation Regions, Divisions, Districts/Schools are expected to: Conduct close monitoring as well as provide technical assistance to ascertain compliance of the herein policies and guidelines Gather feedbacks as basis for planning, improvement and policy formulation Submit reports to the BEE, Dep. Ed Central Office, Pasig City with telefax nos. (02) 637 -4347/638 -4799 or email to kindergartenproject@yahoo. com. ph

"We cannot afford to postpone investing in children until they become adults nor can we wait until they reach school - a time when it may be too late to intervene. " Heckman, J. , 2001 (Nobel Prize Economics, 2000)