FOUNDATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Objectives
1. Explain the Nature, Meaning and Goals of Early Childhood Education
2. Explain the influences of different countries in Early Childhood Education
3. Relate the History of ECE in the Philippines from initial attempts to post-war
interest and to its breakthrough in government schools.
4. The early childhood in the Philippines and the laws supporting ece in the
Philippines
NATURE, MEANING AND GOALS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Introduction:
If you’re like most adults, you didn’t spend much time thinking about early childhood
education (ECE) until you or a loved one had a child. You may have fond memories of
your preschool days but can’t recall much besides taking turns in games, singing songs,
getting dirty outside, making friends and napping on the floor.
It’s tempting to think of these activities as merely ways to keep kids occupied, but
educators know the truth: Young children learn best through play, and starting early sets
them up for success in life and school. In fact, children start learning from their parents
and environment in utero, according to Dr. Hawani Negussie, assistant professor of
early childhood education at University of Massachusetts Global.
Early childhood education—the care and instruction of young children outside of the
home—has become a downward extension of schooling. It is now the first rung on the
educational ladder. In many respects, however, this most recent addition to the
pedagogical hierarchy is quite different from its elementary and secondary
predecessors.
Grounded in Philosophy
The early childhood curriculum is the most holistic and least differentiated at any level of
education. It is also the most solidly grounded in philosophy, in clearly articulated
methodology, and in theory and research. Those who contributed to the discipline of
early childhood education came from occupations and professions outside the
academic domain. What they had in common was an understanding of children. And
that is what makes early childhood education unique; it starts with the child and not with
the subject matter.
Education starts with the child and not with the subject matter.
The philosophical foundations of early childhood education were provided by John
Amos Comenius, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Its curriculum and
methodology were created by the likes of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Friedrich Froebel,
Maria Montessori, and Rudolf Steiner. Most recently, it was scientifically grounded by
the research and theories of Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, and Erik Erikson. While there
are differences in the approaches of these progenitors of early childhood education,
they are overshadowed by one common principle: that early childhood curriculum and
practice must be adapted to the maturing needs, abilities, and interests of the child.
This was the principle embodied in the Kindergarten Program, developed by Friedrich
Froebel (1782-1852) and the first early childhood program to be widely adopted in both
Europe and abroad. The kindergarten movement was propelled by the industrial
revolution and the introduction of women into the factory labor force. Later, Maria
Montessori’s (1870-1952) early childhood program was also widely adopted both in
Europe and abroad. But it was not until after WWII that early childhood education came
to be seen as an important first step on the educational ladder.

What is early childhood education?

Early childhood refers to the period between birth and 8 years of age, wherein a child’s
brain is highly sensitive to the environment around them. This time of “remarkable
growth” requires a specialized educational approach to ensure that children learn key
skills and foundational concepts to prepare them for later life.
Early childhood education is a term to describe formal and informal educational
programs that guide the growth and development of children throughout their preschool
years (birth to age five). Children at these ages are entirely dependent on their adult
caregivers, including parents, daycare providers, babysitters, extended family members
and teachers.
Early childhood education is focused on the critical developmental milestones, skills,
and concepts that children attain during this period of their lives, from social-emotional
skills to the beginnings of numeracy, literacy, and critical thinking.
In addition to preparing children for future academic success, the development of high-
quality early childhood care and education is considered by the The Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to be a key economic indicator when
assessing the health and future positioning of a nation. Furthermore, UNESCO supports
high-quality early childhood education as one of its sustainable development goals. This
foundational aspect of education directly contributes to better lives for children, which
resounds through national improvements to prosperity, social inclusion, and economic
development. 
ECE encompasses a wide variety of activities designed to promote children's cognitive
and social development before entering kindergarten. Some programs primarily focus
on school and academic readiness while others embrace a “whole child” approach that
emphasizes mental and emotional preparedness.
Young children have incredibly impressionable and elastic minds that are constantly
soaking up information from their surroundings and learning from interactions and
experiences. They are born to learn and hardwired to perceive, imitate, experiment and
explore.
NATURE
The educational properties of early childhood education are characterised by interaction
with peers and educators, through which children improve their use of language and
social skills, start to develop logical and reasoning skills, and talk through their thought
processes. They are also introduced to alphabetical and mathematical concepts, and
encouraged to explore their surrounding world and environment. Supervised gross
motor activities (i.e. physical exercise through games and other activities) and play-
based activities can be used as learning opportunities to promote social interactions
with peers and to develop skills, autonomy and school readiness.
A good early childhood education program is dynamic, challenging, enriching and
carefully planned. A typical ECE curriculum might incorporate songs, books, art, games,
toys, experiences and nature exploration into the daily lesson plans for a class or group.
Dr. Negussie adds that for any ECE curriculum to be truly relevant and effective, it
should be informed by the child’s culture. “Children come to the classroom with
background knowledge that is saturated in their particular culture,” she explains.
“Teachers shouldn’t think of it as a foreign, exotic thing that we don’t touch. Traditions,
routines, communication styles — these are all steeped in culture.”

What is the purpose of early childhood education?

Simply put, the purpose of ECE is to provide children with strategies that help them
develop the emotional, social and cognitive skills needed to become lifelong learners.
The Zero to Three Foundation considers the following skills to be the most important for
young learners to master:
1. Language and literacy: Language provides the foundation for the development
of literacy skills. Learning to communicate through gestures, sounds and words
increases a child’s interest in — and later understanding of — books and
reading.
2. Thinking: Children are born with a need to understand how things work. In their
everyday experiences, they use and develop an understanding of math concepts,
such as counting and sorting, and problem-solving skills that they will need for
school.
3. Self-control: This refers to the ability to express and manage emotions in
appropriate ways and is essential for success in school and healthy development
overall. It enables children to cooperate with others, cope with frustration and
resolve conflicts.
4. Self-confidence: When children feel competent and believe in themselves, they
are more willing to take on new challenges. Self-confidence is also crucial for
navigating social challenges, such as sharing, competition and making friends.
The fact that all of these skills can be developed without homework or tests is still
difficult for some adults to believe. “There are always parents who don’t understand that
children learn best when they have the option to do so in a manner that is pleasurable,”
Dr. Negussie explains.
Making something fun helps them absorb the lesson. Play really is everything to kids.
ECE curriculums are set up to encourage young students to learn about themselves
and the world via experiences. This could include indoor or outdoor play, cooperative or
individual play, domestic play, sensory play and constructive play, to name just a few
types.
THE GOAL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

The goal of early childhood education is to improve academic and social behavioral
outcomes for children from birth through third grade. IES supports rigorous and relevant
research in education and special education, evaluation, and survey data collection to
improve the school readiness skills of young children and examine children's early
learning and development during the preschool years (birth to five years old), as well as
as children's progress through school (K–3rd grade and beyond). Early childhood
initiatives at IES include evaluation studies and technical assistance programs; grant
programs to fund research on prekindergarten children (ages 3 to 5); research on
infants, toddlers, and young children (birth to five) with or at risk for disabilities; and
cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

The goals of an early childhood education program can be split into four main
development themes:

 Social 
 Emotional
 Physical
 Intellectual and Academic  

Social Development

Considered to be “the cradle of social cohesion,” an early childhood education program

will strive to support a child’s understanding of themselves as individuals who live in
relationship to others. In addition to delivering what many parents consider foundational
skills like sharing, using respectful language like, “please” and “thank you,” and
contributing to shared efforts like cleaning up and following directions, early childhood
education programs have the potential to help children see themselves as leaders for a
better future. An early childhood education program that focuses on instilling
the attitudes and values of equality, peace, and collaboration engenders in children the
belief that they can make a positive difference in the lives of others. 

Emotional Development 
In the early years, children develop essential emotional skills like self-confidence,  self-
regulation of their emotions, self-expression, self-respect, and positive self-belief. These
skills are essential for later activities like problem-solving and healthy risk-taking. Small
class sizes and lots of teacher interaction time help children learn these skills in an
environment in which they are known, cared for, and encouraged to practice these
skills. By establishing a strong emotional foundation where children understand their
value as friends, learners, and individuals, and where they have confidence in
themselves and their ability to express their ideas, emotions, and needs, children are
prepared for increasingly complex social-emotional and academic challenges. 

Physical Development

An early childhood education program overlaps with a child’s development of gross and
fine motor skills, physical coordination (hand-eye coordination, biking, running, etc.),
and their understanding of healthy skills like hand-washing, regular exercise, and
balanced eating.

An early childhood education program should develop these skills through free and
planned play, engaging activities like sensory tables, building, painting, playing
instruments, etc., and coordinated games where children practice running, pulling,
pushing, hopping, and working together while having fun!

These activities should build on each other through each year of the ECE program, from
improving fine motor control to support their writing development, to children gaining
more independence in activities like putting on their coats and shoes, moving
from velcro strap to laced shoes, packing their lunch bags and backpacks. 

Intellectual and Academic Development

While an early childhood education program should have carefully researched goals for
literacy and numeracy, the foundations of academic success are only one part of a
child’s intellectual development during the early years. 

It is essential that a child sees themself as a capable learner, who can grapple with new
topics that may seem tricky at first, and resist giving up when a topic or task becomes
difficult. Here, a child’s intellectual development extends far beyond the classroom;
supported by an early childhood education program, students come to see the whole
world as an opportunity for learning.

Early years programs that promote a strong intellectual curiosity and lead children to a
life of observing, wondering, questioning, and discovery often include play-based
learning or outdoor learning, and a focus on self-directed learning and responsive
curriculum. These aspects of an early childhood education program allow the classroom
environment to engage with and incorporate a child’s interests into the learning journey. 
Why is early childhood education important?
Early childhood care and education (ECCE), which addresses the period from birth to 8
years old, is important because it capitalizes on a period of rich brain development for
children and, when it is of good quality, can help them achieve their full potential. A
high-quality early childhood education offers children numerous academic and social-
emotional benefits that echo through the child’s life for decades to come.

A newborn baby’s brain is about a quarter of the size of an adult brain. Incredibly, it will
double in size by the child’s first birthday and will have completed 90 percent of its
growth by age five. During the early childhood years, the brain is making millions of
synapses every second. These neural connections allow us to move, think,
communicate and comprehend the world around us. To say that this is a critical window
of development is an understatement.
It can lay the foundation for good health and nutrition, learning and educational success,
social-emotional learning, and economic productivity throughout life. Despite the
evidence for these social, human and economic developmental gains, it is still often
given low priority in education policy and investment and, where it does exist, may
exclude marginalized groups. ECCE has its own extra vulnerability in that much of it is
privately provided. 

A child’s cerebral development begins in utero, and their development in the first eight
years of life establishes the foundation for future health and well-being. The rapid
cerebral growth and development in childhood is partially driven by a child's “acquisition
and integration of skills across many developmental domains” and a responsive,
engaging, and supportive environment in which the child can live and learn.

Although education at all stages of development is enhanced by a strong school-family

partnership, this is especially true of early childhood learning and early years
development. The environment is a key component of early childhood education, and
creating a “consistent, responsive caregiving relationships and supportive
community” can drastically limit the potential for detrimental factors like neglect and
chronic stress which can hinder a child in reaching their full potential. It is critical to
develop a learning environment where students in the early years are supported, cared
for, encouraged, and nurtured as they explore the world around them. 

There is a large body of research that suggests a high-quality ECE program can have a
positive long-term effect on the lives of children. The National Education Association
(NEA) states that research shows children who receive a high-quality education before
they turn five enjoy significant medium- and long-term benefits. Children in early
childhood education programs are:

 Less likely to repeat a grade

 Less likely to be identified as having special needs
 More prepared academically for later grades
  More likely to graduate from high school
 More likely to be higher earners in the workforce

Evidence is growing that ECD has long-lasting effects and is critical to human
development. Children who are healthy, stimulated, and well-nurtured during this period
tend to do better in school and have a better chance of developing the skills required to
contribute to social and economic development. Targeted interventions that integrate
health, nutrition, education, and care for young children not only offset the effects of
poverty but also reduce future public expenditures on health, education, and social
welfare. Evidence suggests that investing in ECD has a significant impact on children’s
health and readiness to learn, and can bring important economic returns, often greater
than investments in formal education and training. The ultimate goal of ECD programs
is to improve young children’s capacity to develop and learn. A child who is ready for
school has a combination of positive characteristics: he or she is socially and
emotionally healthy, confident, and friendly; has good peer relationships; tackles
challenging tasks and persists with them; has good language skills and communicates
well; and listens to instructions and is attentive.

“We have a lot of scientific data about brain development at this age, but there is a huge
gap between figuring out what young brains need to thrive and actually making policies
or funding programs based on that information,” Dr. Negussie shares.
She wishes that more people would understand that children have an impact on
everyone — not just parents. “We forget that kids grow up and become leaders and
decision-makers,” she poses. “ECE should be at the forefront of political, social, state
and federal discussions because every single child deserves a high-quality education,
regardless of race, ethnicity or class.”
Young children now spend the majority of their waking hours in a child-care setting.
With the rapid expansion and acceptance of early childhood programs, the basic
principle of early childhood education, supported by an overwhelming amount of
contemporary research and classroom experience, is dismissed as irrelevant. Instead,
we have had a politically and commercially driven effort to make early childhood
education “the new first grade.” A play-based curriculum is best suited to meet the
emerging needs, abilities, and interests of young children.
We have come too far from where early education began: with the child.

Early childhood curriculum must constantly adapt to the maturing needs of the child.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Introduction
Early childhood education is a period when children start to learn basic skills, social and
emotional skills, develop their interests, and form a relationship between their parents,
peers, and teachers. It is their foundation and groundwork for their future development.

“Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than preparation for primary
school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and
physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and
wellbeing. ECCE has the possibility to nurture caring, capable and responsible future
citizens.”, says UNESCO about the importance of early childhood education.

Hence, early care and education puts emphasis on the social, emotional, cognitive, and
physical needs of the child for a strong foundation of learning and well-being throughout
life.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
PRE-HISPANIC
The education of Pre-Hispanic Filipinos was fit for the needs of their times. There was
no formal schooling. Parents trained their children informally . Mothers educated their
female children in housekeeping, weaving, basket-making and other agriculture-related
activities. Fathers trained their male children in hunting, carpentry, agriculture,
shipbuilding and mining. Skills taught would vary on their industries and locations, i.e.,
whether highland, lowlands or along seashores. Education was oral, practical and
hands-on
During the Pre-Spanish period, education was still decentralized. Children were
provided more vocational training but lesser academics, which were headed by their
parents or by their tribal tutors. They used a unique system of writing known as the
baybayin. BAYBAYIN The term Baybay literally means "to spell“ in Tagalog. It also
known as the alibata, were in it is the ancient writing system that was used before by
the Filipinos.
The pre-Spanish system of education underwent major changes during the Spanish
colonization. The tribal tutors were replaced by the Spanish Missionaries.
SPANISH REGIME
- Started formally in grade 1 with Christian Doctrine
- Predominantly religious utilized certain textbooks as cartilla and pagina de la
Infancia (contains alphabet and prayers)  “RELIGION-CENTERED”
- Young Filipinos mostly coming from the “bourgeois” illustrado class 
EDUCATION FOR THE ELITE ONLY
 - Preschooling was unorganized
- Spanish is compulsory; boys and girls school are separated
- Inadequate, suppressed and controlled
- The more educated adults in the community became lawful “preschool teachers”
- Usually handled on one to one basis and lasting for no less than 30 minutes per
session
- (Estolaz & Nunez. 1974)
- The regular schooling in the cartilla lasted for 3 to 6 months depending upon the
child’s capacity to learn.
- This particular schooling facilitated the entry of the child into grade one although
it was not necessarily a requirement

INITIAL ATTEMPTS
- In 1924, the opening of kindergarten education at Harris Memorial School Manila
(Harris Memorial College) pioneered preschool education Under directorship of
Miss Mary A. Evans.
- A class was established by Mrs. Brigida Fernando after her training at Columbia
University Teachers College.
- Interest in kindergarten movement was picked up by other private schools and
grew succeedingly well among the religious schools both Catholic and Protestant
- Similar interest motivated civic groups to help children
- In 1935 The NATIONAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S CLUB( NFWC) became
the forerunner of nursery education
- The process of getting government recognition didn’t come after 16 years.
- In 1940, The Bureau of Private Schools had authorized 129 kindergarten classes
getting an enrolment of 6,449.
- The World War II disrupted the growth of the program to the point of closing
almost all schools.

POSTWAR INTERESTS
- The year immediately ensuing liberation had demonstrated a renewed interest in
preschool education
- Out 129 government recognized kindergarten schools in 1940, a total of 61
schools with 3,172 enrolment started in operation in 1945-1946
- Private individuals had shortly joined this bold start
- The NFWC continued to have its nursery classes one in Sampaloc and in Tondo
Manila
 - In 1948, HARRIS MEMORIAL SCHOOL initiated another big step by obtaining a
government recognition to confer the degree of JUNIOR TEACHER’S
CERTIFICATE to Graduate in kindergarten education
- This was the first recognized course in kindergarten education offered in the
Philippines
- Other colleges and universities attempt to emphasize kindergarten teaching by
giving special training on the area, either part and parcel of B.S in Education or in
Home Economics
- Preschool education in the country has almost remained to be associated with
Bureau of Private Schools, specially with the religious groups.

BREAKTHROUGH IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

- 1950’s through the effort of Dr. Miguela M. Solis, then the Superintendent of
Teacher education in Bureau of Public Schools, preschool education started in
the government regional –training schools
- Pangasinan Normal School was the first to take advantage
- Followed by Zamboanga Normal School
- In 1964, a year after establishment of National Coordinating Center for the Study
and Development of Filipino Children and Youth (NCCSDFCY) which Dr. Solis
was the director, the Children’s Village was opened to admit kindergarten
children, marking another milestone in the public sector.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: A JOINT CONCERN

- The growth of Philippine preschool education had been so slow when this is
compared to those of the other countries
- Though slow, the regular yearly increment in kindergarten enrolment in both
private and public schools had increased
- The major portion of preschool children were consistently in the private schools
with its yearly increase remaining constant until that there are too many children
for every teacher.
- Sending pre-school aged children to private kindergarten is expensive
- The need for nursery schools that could cater to the lower income families was
then felt
- A number of national offices and civic organizations have responded to the need
to extend appropriate education
- The NFWC who has started only with two schools has expanded to 251 classes
mostly located in the less chance areas like Tondo, Sampaloc, Paco and others
- In 1956, the Manila Health Department introduced the concept of modern
preschool “ play centers” in Manila
 - It was Dr, Demetrio Belmonte the assistant city health officer who had a trip from
different countries like Europe and USA and observed the operation of modern
and scientific preschool
- With the assistance of Dr. Evangeline G. Suva, returning grantee on
programming preschool play centers and Mrs.Isabel Santos, a social worker of
the Ladies’ Association worked hand in hand to put up the first modern fully
equipped play centers at the KAPITAN ISIDRO MENDOZA HEALTH CENTER
- Meanwhile various civic organization have similarly taken bold steps in support of
the program.
- Some of them are Young Ladies Association of Charity, The Rural Improvement
Clubs, The Philippine Women’s Medical Association
- In mid 1960’s the Department of Social Welfare had started the inclusion of
nursery and kindergarten education in its program.
1970’s to 1980’s – The government’s intensified interest in the welfare of the Filipino
child resulted in the signing of P.D 603 PD 603- known as CHILD AND YOUTH
WELFARE CODE in 1974”
1979- UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization) declared
as the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD

1977 to 1987
The Philippines declared DECADE OF THE FILIPINO CHILD
This marked the increased of number of preschool children and also the establishments
both in private and public schools
1978 to 1989- DECS encouraged the operation of preschools in public elementary
schools with MEC Order No. 24 s 1978 and DECS Order No. 107, s.1989 ( Soliven
et.al,1997)
1993 to 1994- There were 1,892 DECS- recognizes and registered private schools in
the country with 416,894 enrolled preschoolers
In 1995, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank prepared and
published a sector report3 on the status of ECD in the Philippines, which proposed for
increased government investment in child health, Promoting Early Child Development in
the Philippines nutrition, and early education programs. At that time, given its per capita
income, the Philippines was behind its neighbors in improving infant mortality (57
deaths per 1,000), malnutrition, and Vitamin A deficiency. Children from poor Filipino
families were three times more likely to die before the age of 5 than children from well-
off families. Chronic malnutrition has always been the result of mothers’ poor nutrition.
Grade 1 students tend to drop out because their families were unable to pay for daily
transport, food, uniforms, or supplies.
The relatively poor progress in child development in the country was due largely to the
economic stagnation and underinvestment in social welfare programs in the past. Not
enough was done to establish adequate national child health services, or to implement
intensive community-based nutrition programs that could compensate for limited
incomes through nutrition monitoring, education and well-designed and targeted
supplementation.
Investment in early childhood development has a significant impact on children’s health
and readiness to learn, and can bring important economic returns, often greater than
investments in formal education and training.
HENCE
1995 to 2000- Three reform programs were initiated in response to the need of rising
numbers of preschoolers: EDUCATION FOR ALL CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION
ON EDUCATION
Implementation of LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE
What is the meaning of Local Government Code?
Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160). This Code establishes the
system and defines powers of provincial, city, municipal and barangay governments in
the Philippines.
What is the purpose of the Local Government Code of 1991?
It provides for a more responsive local government structure instituted through a system
of decentralization whereby Local Government Units are delegated more powers,
authority, responsibilities and resources.
LEGAL BASES
The Philippine Republic Act 8980: Early Childhood Care and Development Act
- Enacted in the year 2000
- Identifies the growing important of providing preschool education and addressing
young children’s other needs
- Recognizes parents as the children’s primary caregivers and teachers
- Provides for the needs and upholds the indivisible rights of 6-year-old children
- Holistic services for optimum growth and development
Holistic services
- Health
- Nutrition
- Safe and Hygienic environment
- Psycho-social stimulation
- Cognitive development
 In the Philippines, the compulsory starting age of education (if applicable) ranges from
6-12 years old. The Philippine Republic Act 8980: Early Childhood Care and
Development Act, is an act promulgating a comprehensive policy and a national system
for Early Childhood Care and Development, providing funds therefore and for other
purpose. Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System refers to the full
range of health, nutrition, early education and social services programs that provide for
the basic holistic needs of young children from birth to age six, to promote their optimum
growth and development.

These programs include:

Center-based programs, such as the day care service established under Republic Act
No. 6972, public and private pre-schools, kindergarten or school-based programs,
community or church-based early childhood education programs initiated by non-
government organizations or people’s organizations, workplace-related child care and
education programs, child-minding centers, health centers and stations.
Home-based programs, such as the neighborhood-based play groups, family day care
programs, parent education and home visiting programs.
In-charge of supervision or coordination and Service Providers:
At the national level, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the
agency responsible for overall policy and program development, setting and promoting
guidelines and standards, providing technical assistance to the local government units
through the regional field offices, monitoring and evaluation. Included but are not limited
to, day care workers, teachers, teacher-aides, rural health midwives, social workers,
community health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, parent effectiveness volunteers,
child development workers, and family daycare providers. The primary service provider
in the public day-care system is the day care workers, most of whom are recruited
from within the local community, since one of the requirements is that they live near the
center. They are directly responsible for the care and education of the young children
through the various center and home-based programs.
Republic Act No. 6972, the “Barangay (village) Level Total Protection of Children Act”,
has a provision that requires all local government units to establish a day-care center in
every village; the law institutionalized the features of the day-care program that provide
for young children’s learning needs aside from their health and psychosocial needs.
 Barangay – the smallest administrative division and is the native Filipino term for
a village.

- Enacted in the year 1990

- Requires all local government units to set up a day care center in every barangay
- Day-care centers are mandated not only to provide for the children’s learning
needs but also to attend to their health and psychosocial needs
- Comprehensive day care services for 3-5 year old
 - Intellectual, mutual, mental and psycho-social stimulation, wholesome play and
recreation
- Monitoring of: birth registration, immunization, growth and nutrition status
- Sanctuary for the abused, neglected, exploited
- Care for children of working mothers
Philippine Government Agencies involved in the
implementation of ECCD.

 Senate Bill 3235: An Act Institutionalize Pre-school

Education

- Senator Edgardo Angara

- Pre-school education as a part of compulsory
basic education
- Standard preschool curriculum for Grade 1
entrants to be well-equipped for formal
schooling
- At least 1 year of preschool education before admitted to Grade 1

“We believe that a major contributing factor to our poor quality of education is the lack of
preparation for our schooling, the gradual acceptance of pre-school in the country today
underscored the important of pre-school education.” – Sen. Angara

“Child educators agree that starting educators at pre-school age has substantial
benefits to the learner and to the society. By contributing to better academic
performance, pre-schooling helps reduce the number of repeaters; hence we cut back
on educational expenditure.”

BASIC EDUCATION FRAMEWORK SEARCH

Thrusts in Preschool Education

- Thrust No. 1: Accelerate increase of enrolment

- Thrust No. 2: Provide quality learning experiences
- Thrust No.3: Establish model preschool classes that meet standards of
excellence in terms of learning environment, management and delivery of
educational services

The implementation of the National ECCD System shall be the joint responsibility of the
national government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations,
and private organizations that are accredited to deliver the services or to provide
training and technical assistance.
Role of the National Government in the Implementation of ECCD

National government agencies shall be responsible for developing policies and

programs, providing technical assistance and support to the ECCD service providers in
consultation with coordinating committees at the provincial, city/municipal, and
barangay levels, as provided for in Section 8 of this Act, and monitoring of ECCD
service benefits and outcomes. The Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Health (DOH), the
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Labor and
Employment

(DOLE), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the National Nutrition
Council (NNC) shall jointly prepare annual ECCD for work plans that will coordinate
their respective technical assistance and support for the National ECCD Program. They
shall consolidate existing program implementing guidelines that ensure consistency in
integrated service delivery within the National ECCD System.

Role of Local Government Units

Local government units (LGUs) shall be primarily responsible for Implementing the
National ECCD Program by providing basic public ECCD services; Supporting the
organization of parent cooperatives to initiate the establishment of ECCD programs;
Ensuring that service providers of public ECCD programs under their supervision shall
be justly compensated, that adequate funds are made available, and their working
conditions are conducive to fulfill national quality standards; and Providing counterpart
funds for the training and continuing education of ECCD service providers, and
supporting the operations of Provincial, City/Municipal and Barangay ECCD
Coordinating Committees. They are also directly responsible for the management and
operation of day-care centers.

Role of Families and Communities

The families and communities shall participate in various projects of the local ECCD
programs for the overall development of their children.

Financing and Support for EECD Programs

ECCD programs at the community level shall be financed through a combination of

public and private funds. All public ECCD program providers shall prioritize young
children from families who are in greatest need and who can least or cannot afford
private sector programs.
The government shall support public ECCD program through: cost sharing
arrangements that involve the LGUs, and other funds from the national government
agencies for technical assistance and support; additional funds may be generated from
intergovernmental donors and financial institutions by the appropriate government
agencies through the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to support
the public programs in all classes of  municipalities including the urban poor.
Funds shall be accessible to qualified LGUs through the Municipal Development Fund
or other financing mechanisms as prescribed by the Department of Finance ( DOF) and
based on guidelines from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The
Council may establish a trust fund to assist LGUs in the expansion and upgrading of
ECCD programs.
Primary health care programs, pre-natal and post-natal care, growth, monitoring and
promotion, and supplementary nutrition programs shall continue to be funded through
the LGUs with technical support and additional resources from the DOH.

The Day Care Program, Parent Effectiveness Service, Child-Minding Centers, Family
Day Care and Parent-Child Development Programs shall continue to be supported by
the LGUs in the form of construction of basic infrastructure, provision of facilities,
materials and equipment, and compensation for the service providers. The DSWD shall
provide for technical assistance.

The kindergarten program in public schools shall continue to be supported by the

Department of Education (DepEd) in cooperation with the Parents, Teachers, and
Community Association (PTCA), where applicable, by providing teacher training,
supplementary learning materials and reference materials for ECCD programs.
The DSWD, DepEd, DOH, and DILG shall support the implementation by LGUs of the
National ECCD Program and shall include in their respective annual general
appropriations beginning the fiscal year, necessary funding to achieve the goal of
national coverage within a five-year period and sustain the Program from thereon. The
work and financial plan of the DSWD, DepEd, DOH, and DILG shall be coordinated with
the Council.
CONCLUSION

The Philippines aims to protect the children and provide assistance for their needs
including proper care and nutrition, special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse,
and exploitation. It also aims to fully recognize the nature of childhood and its special
needs, promotes the rights of all children to survival, development and special
protection, and supports parents in their roles as primary caregivers and their children’s
first teachers. They aim to promote a system that is comprehensive, integrative, and
sustainable premised on a multisectoral and interagency collaboration.
References:
https://www.himama.com/blog/early-childhood-education-then-and-now/#:~:text=The
%20roots%20of%20early%20childhood,read%20and%20many%20were%20illiterate.
https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2010/history-of-early-
childhood-education
https://varlyproject.blog/early-childhood-care-and-education-in-the-philippines/
https://www.oecd.org/education/school/early-childhood-education-equity-quality-
transitions-G20.pdf
https://www.umassglobal.edu/news-and-events/blog/what-is-purpose-of-early-
childhood-education#:~:text=Simply%20put%2C%20the%20purpose%20of,needed
%20to%20become%20lifelong%20learners.
https://www.asparis.org/blog/details/~board/academics/post/what-is-early-childhood-
education-1596020598964
https://ies.ed.gov/topics/earlychildhood.asp
“Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than preparation for primary
school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and
physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and
wellbeing. ECCE has the possibility to nurture caring, capable and responsible future
citizens.”
https://www.nu.edu/blog/why-is-early-childhood-education-important/
https://www.unesco.org/en/education/early-childhood/need-know
https://prezi.com/ia7cdwwv-u-y/preschool-education-in-the-philippine-setting/
https://www.slideshare.net/shemariahb/history-preschool-education-philippines

UNESCO believes early childhood care and education (ECCE) that is truly inclusive is
much more than just preparation for primary school. It can be the foundation for
emotional wellbeing and learning throughout life and one of the best investments a
country can make as it promotes holistic development, gender equality and social
cohesion. 
Initial Attempts
1940  Bureau of Private Schools authorized the opening of 129 kindergarten classes,
getting an enrollment of 6,449.
Preschool Education  Pioneered by Miss Mary Evans at the Harris Memorial School
Post-War Interest
1945-1946  Out of 129 government recognized kindergarten schools in 1940, 61
schools with 3,172 started their operation.
The Breakthrough in Government Schools
1960  Department of Social Welfare included nursery and kindergarten education in
its program
1963 Establishment of the National Coordinating Center for the Study of Development
of Filipino Children and Youth; Dr. Miguela M. Solis was a Director
1964  Children’s Village was opened to admit kindergarten children

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

In charge of:
- general planning and policy making
- promoting guidelines and standards to the local government units regarding
childhood education
Before: Preschool is optional before entering elementary level (not everyone can afford
it)
Now: There is a high need for young children to undergo preschool before stepping into
formal education.