Implementation

Jamaica’s implementation plan was executed and the following achievements were gained through strong partnership with the Government of Jamaica (GOJ), international and national funding agencies, private sector organizations and individuals.

1. Legislation, Policy and Inter-Sectoral Co-ordination

Integration policy for streamlining early childhood programmes and services approved by government.

Activities include:

• Merger of administrative structure of the Early Childhood Unit and Day Care Unit – Instrument of transfer signed and Day Care Unit transferred to the Ministry of Education, Youth & Culture (MOEYC) August 1998.
• National Co-ordinator for Integration hired by the MOEYC.
• Integration Advisory Committee, which is an inter-agency group (health, education, community development, planning, NGO’s, service clubs and the University of the West Indies, established to guide the integration process.
• National policy for children development.
• Day Care Act which prescribes Standards and Regulations governing service provisions for birth to three years-old submitted to Parliament.
• Draft Child Care and Protection Act submitted for public comments.
• Guidelines for Management of Basic School Programme merged with the Day Care Standards and expanded to include registration of early childhood institutions with emphasis on improving the quality of service delivery. These guidelines will be submitted for Cabinet’s approval prior to implementation.
• Collaboration between health and education to incorporate resilience training into the school health programme.
• Collaboration with Ministry of Local Government, Youth and Community Development through Community Alliance in Support of Education (CASE) to promote greater community involvement for Early Childhood development.

2. Integrated Social Planning and Financing

The Ministries of Education and Finance have incorporated support from various funding agencies and stakeholders into a comprehensive corporate plan for the Early Childhood sector (e.g. profiles, project of Planning Institute of Jamaica Resource Centre upgrading).

Development of Data Management System

Census data and quality monitoring and evaluation instruments developed; data collection on Early Childhood institutions 95% complete.

3. Equitable access to quality provisions for children in high situations.

(a) Equitable Access:

• Expansion of the Home Visiting Programme which provides Child Care services for unemployed parents in the birth to three (3) age cohort. Four parishes to be covered by September 2000.
• Upgrading of Early Childhood centres through Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) projects.
• Provision for children with exceptionalities currently participate in all national exams with whatever modification necessary.

(b) Quality Provisions:

• Provision of Teaching/Learning materials by MOEYC and stakeholders.
• Upgrading of parish resource centres.
• Establish Resource Centre at Mona Campus to support regional development in Early Childhood Education Development (ECED).
• Increase the number of college-trained early childhood teachers in basic schools.
• Increase the number of service providers by engaging National Youth Service volunteers as teachers’ aides.
• Cascade management training of 1,600 corresponding chairmen of basic schools, 1,600 basic school teachers, 342 day-care operators in progress.

4. Training and Curriculum Development

Development of Occupational Standards for Early Childhood service providers levels 1-3. Integrating the use of computer technology into Early Childhood education. In the area of training, performance standards have been developed for birth to age six (6) for example:

• Occupational Standards for early childhood workers levels 1-3.
• Infant Care Curriculum being piloted.
• 3-5 year-old curriculum being revised.

5. Research to inform development

• Research study of the transition from pre-school to grade one to identify the problems encountered and recommendations for implementation made. Findings shared with stakeholders, recommendations being implemented.
• Research on iron-deficiency anaemia and its impact on cognitive development completed in Kingston Metropolitan Region (K.M.R.)
• Strategic/Operational review of national Early Childhood programmes to facilitate strategic planning in progress.

The Way Forward

• Upgrading of current Integration Advisory Committee (IAC) to inter-sectoral National Advisory Councillor Commission.
• Formulating a National Parenting policy.
• Establishing formal licensing system for Early Childhood institutions with appropriate inspectorate.
• Establishing certification system for early childhood service providers based on occupational standards.
• Establishing accreditation system for Early Childhood institutions based on facilities standards.
• Institutionalising Home Visiting Programme by taking current model to scale.
• Increasing access of children birth to four years-old to child care services by supporting clusters of home-based centres around satellite demonstration centres.
• Increasing enrolment of four to six ge (4-6) cohort to 100% by 2002.
• Lowering of child-adult ratios in ECIs based on proposed standards.
• Upgrading of learning environment to facilitate development of appropriate service delivery.
• Increasing budgetary allocation for ECED to 5% (minimum).
• Institutionalise ongoing mechanisms for public education on ECED.
• Formulating policies to facilitate transition from pre-school to primary school.