From ECD to Formal Education Issues and Challenges during the Transition Philippines Experience

The Philippines: Where We Work

ECD: Needs & IssuesOnly 3 out of 10 children are able to go to daycare centers or preschools (Nationwide, Unicef, 2005)Vast majority of children have no prior ECD experiences when they enter the first grade of elementary education, leading to high dropout (14%) and repetition (4.8%) in the first few grades (Nationwide, DepEd, 2004)

School Readiness StudySchool Readiness of Children In Various Socio-Economic Environments. A study awarded to Save the Children- Philippines Country Office by the Department of Social Work and Development, 2003)

Significant determinants of school readiness:Type of place whether rural or urbanMarginalization statusExposure to early childhood educationHealth statusParents knowledge, attitude and practice on childrens cognitive development Parents practices in stimulating childrens school readinessAccess to learning materials

Type of place whether rural or urbanThe study confirms the general imbalance in opportunities for the urban and rural populace. Urban children living in non-marginalized areas were obviously exposed to more opportunities for growth and development, and these translated to better levels of school readiness in all the identified domains.

Marginalization statusof childrens communitiesIn general, areas which fall short of meeting their minimum basic needs are also not able to generate the resources and opportunities for enabling their young to achieve desired standards of growth and development. This deprivation negatively affects childrens levels of school readiness as well.

Exposure to early childhood educationChildrens exposure to early childhood education, through day care centers and preschools has been positively correlated with better levels of school readiness. This gives credence to the overall significance of providing young children varied and organized forms of early learning opportunities that stimulate their abilities to tackle more complex forms of learning later in school and manage the new school environment.

Childrens health status

Childrens health status figured out as an important determinant of school readiness too as it was positively correlated specifically with cognitive and social-emotional domains of school readiness as well as with the standard score. This implies that an integrated approach to nurturing childrens growth and development has to be a sine qua non in any intervention for the young. The childs biological disposition interacts with all his/her environmental forces to shape the nature of his/her development.

Parents knowledge, attitude and practice on childrens cognitive development Parents who teach numeracy and literacy skills to their children as well as expose them to learning materials, experiences outside the home; and generally talk about schooling and encourage their children to go to school.Positive health habits such as bringing children to doctors even if they are not sick and giving them multivitamins. These parents had more holistic concepts of parenting and interacted with their children more in the following activities: sharing stories, reading, talking about pictures, shopping, watching television, doing leisure activities, among others.

Childrens access to learning materialsThis finding supports the value of exposing children to materials which could stimulate their learning at home, in preschool or day care settings and in the community of residence, in general.

PhCO's ECD to Primary Transition InitiativesTarget prospective grade one entrants and grade one pupils, along with their parents, teachers and other caregivers

Summer Learning ProgramOffered to six year-old children who are about to enroll in Grade 1 and have no prior ECE exposure.

Objectives: Improve grade one entrants school readiness skills Reduce levels of dropout and repetition among first grade pupils Increase the skills of parents, teachers and other adult caregivers in providing educational stimulation and support to children transitioning to formal schooling

Summer Learning ProgramThe 7-week program focuses on skills and competencies in the areas which are deemed necessary for children to be more ready in tackling Grade 1 activities: a) gross motor; b) fine motor; c) language; d) socio-emotional; e) cognitive; and f) self-help.

Summer Learning ProgramTrains community volunteer facilitators on the use of the Summer Learning Program Module.Includes activities that parents will do with children at home to reinforce what they learned in the program sessionsIntegrates parent education sessions, health and nutrition intervention such as height and weight assessment, deworming and dental service

Other features of ECD-Primary transition InitiativesSchool visits of children and families before school year startsTraining of Grade 1 teachers making schools ready

Costs of implementing Summer Learning ProgramFor each site (village)SC support Includes training of facilitators, learning materials, community mobilization = $180Community counterpart includes allowance for facilitator = $33Estimated cost = $213Average = 15 children/siteCost/child = $14

Local PartnersLocal Councils for the Protection of ChildrenCity/Municipal levelBarangay (Village) level

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