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Caribbean
In collaboration with UNESCO, and with support from UNICEF and the Inter-American and Caribbean Development Banks, the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) Secretariat initiated a process to review progress in early childhood policy development in the region. Research in fourteen Caribbean countries for Education for All: Global Monitoring Report on Early Childhood Care and Education found:
• A lack of services for children, particularly for those under 3 years old
• Weak licensing, certification, and monitoring systems
• A preponderance of small, undercapitalised operators
• Low levels of training among caregivers
• Absence of national standards
• Varying standards of care and quality
• Absence of sector-wide governance at the national level, including national plans, policies, or regulatory mechanisms
• 87% of services in the region were provided by community organisations, churches, and private operators
In March 2006, the Caribbean forum on ECD recommended key regional strategies to address ECD as a development priority in the effort to reduce poverty and crime and to promote integrated human and social development. These included a number of coordination mechanisms and partnerships. For example, the CARICOM Secretariat chairs the Regional ECD Working Group to coordinate activity at the regional level. Twelve member organizations participate, including international development partners, regional NGOs, and research institutions. The Working Group meets twice a year to support ECD capacity building of the CARICOM Secretariat in advocacy, policy formulation, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, and community resource mobilisation. UNESCO and UNICEF are also members of the group, and have supported key actions for 2006-2008:
• Development of guidelines for quality ECD policy and standards
A regional workshop was held in Antigua in September 2006. There was a review of existing ECD standards within the broader framework of policies and regulatory systems being established at national level. The workshop resulted in the drafting of guidelines to assist CARICOM states to develop comprehensive policy, minimum standards, and regulatory frameworks for ECD services. The guidelines will be published in 2008.
• Development of indicators to monitor the performance of the ECD sector
Access to data was identified as a critical constraint to providing a full profile of ECD at the national level. A project was prepared to assist countries to test and pilot data collection mechanisms on an agreed set of indicators to monitor the performance of the early childhood sector. A pilot project in three countries will test the feasibility and utility of the proposed indicators and identify and develop the modalities that will be required for effective implementation at the country level. Key actions for 2008 will include capacity building of early childhood coordinators in the analysis and use of data for reporting and decision making, policy development, and service improvement.
The next steps for the CARICOM Secretariat and member states include, the implementation of standards, establishment of monitoring systems, development of national financing mechanisms and investment strategies, as well as establishment of organizational structures for governance and support in ECD sectors.
For more information, contact:
Sian Williams
Caribbean ECD Advisor, UNICEF
E-mail: sgwilliams@unicef.org
Paolo Fontani
Education Specialist, UNESCO
Kingston Office, Caribbean
E-mail: p.fontani@unesco.org
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