EARLY CH IL D H OOD

ED U C A TI ON
JR., PTRP, L PT, C SE , MPA
B Y: BE N-RA ZIR M. MILA HAM,
PREPARED
AT THE END OF THIS MODULE, THE LEARNERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• IDENTIFY THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY;

• DISCUSS THE ISSUES ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTRY; AND
• WRITE AN ADVOCACY PAPER ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
INTRODUCTION
• THIS MODULE IS AIMED AT PROVIDING THE READERS BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS
AND INITIATIVES RELATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTRY.

• AROUND THE WORLD, THE SCOPE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ACCEPTED IS THAT EDUCATION
PROVIDED FROM AGES 0-8. THIS IS IT THEREFORE COVERS EDUCATION PROVIDED FOR INFANTS,
TODDLERS (1-2 YEAR OLDS), PRESCHOOLER (3-4 YEAR OLDS), KINDERGARTENERS (5-YEAR OLDS) AND
PRIMARY-SCHOOLERS (6-8 YEAR OLDS).
• THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS THAT IT IS A VERY CRUCIAL FOUNDATIONAL
STAGE ON WHICH LATER DEVELOPMENT DEPEND.

• IT TAKES ON DIFFERENT AREAS SUCH AS, AMONG OTHERS, THE SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DOMAIN FOCUSING ON
IMPORTANCE OF NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS, THE PHYSICAL DOMAIN THAT DISCUSSES HOW
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS CAN ACTUALLY INFLUENCE GENE EXPRESSION.
BELOW IS A SUMMARY FROM THE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT IN CANADA:

• “HUMAN CAPITAL INTERVENTIONS SHOULD INCLUDE, IN ADDITION TO COGNITION AND "ACADEMIC

SMARTS", SOCIAL ADAPTABILITY AND MOTIVATION.” (JAMES J. HECKMAN)

• "FROM PREGNANCY THROUGH EARLY CHILDHOOD, ALL OF THE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH CHILDREN LIVE
AND LEARN, AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS AND CAREGIVERS, HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THEIR COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. “ (JACK P.
SHONKOM)
• "WE NOW KNOW THAT NURTURE IN EARLY LIFE AS WELL AS NATURE IS IMPORTANT IN EARLY HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT AND THAT NURTURE IN THE EARLY YEARS HAS MAJOR EFFECTS ON LEARNING IN SCHOOL
AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE.” (J. FRASER MUSTARD)

• EXPERTS THEN EXPRESSED HOW NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES SHOULD RESPOND "AS A SOCIETY, WE
CANNOT AFFORD TO POSTPONE INVESTING IN CHILDREN UNTIL THEY BECOME ADULTS, NOR CAN WE
WAIT UNTIL THEY REACH SCHOOL AGE- A TIME WHEN IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO INTERVENE. THE BEST
EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE POLICY PRESCRIPTION: INVEST IN THE VERY YOUNG AND IMPROVE BASIC
LEARNING AND SOCIALIZATION SKILLS. (JAMES J. HECKMAN)
• "THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF NEUROSCIENCE INDICATE THAT PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE CONDITIONS FOR
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT IS MORE EFFECTIVE AND LESS COSTLY THAN ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS
THE CONSEQUENCES OF EARLY ADVERSITY LATER." (JACK P. SHONKOFF)

• "NATIONAL POLICY AND ECONOMIC FACTORS ARE SIGNIFICANT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.
ALTHOUGH CHILD DEVELOPMENT TENDS TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN WEALTHY THAN POOR COUNTRIES,
THE PRIORITY GIVEN TO CHILDREN IN SOCIAL POLICY CAN OVERCOME NATIONAL POVERTY IN CHILD
DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES." (CLYDE HERTZMAN)
SEVERAL NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE INVOLVED IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION HERE IN OUR COUNTRY.

• AMONG THESE AGENCIES ARE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD), AND AN INTER-AGENCY COUNCIL CALLED THE EARLY CHILDHOOD
CARE AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (ECCD).

• THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS ALSO PLAY A VITAL ROLE. THE PRIVATE SECTOR, LIKEWISE
CONTRIBUTES.
THE INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS OF THE MENTIONED AGENCIES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED AS KEY PLAYERS IN THE FIELD.

1. DEP-ED
• THE RECENT REFORM IN OUR BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE K TO 12 PROGRAM, DIRECTED OUR
ATTENTION TO KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTRY.

• IN JANUARY 2012, RA 10157, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ACT,

INSTITUTIONALIZED THE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION INTO THE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM OF OUR
COUNTRY. KINDERGARTEN IS NOW MANDATORY AND COMPULSORY FOR ALL 5-YEAR-OLDS, AND IS
CONSIDERED AS THE FIRST STAGE OF FORMAL EDUCATION.
• THIS LAW FURTHER AFFIRMS THE COUNTRY'S BELIEF IN EARLY EDUCATION, STATING THAT,
"KINDERGARTEN IS VITAL TO THE ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE FILIPINO CHILD FOR
IT IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE YOUNG MIND'S ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY FOR LEARNING IS AT ITS SHARPEST.“

• THE KINDERGARTEN LAW ALSO EMPHASIZES THAT, "IT IS ALSO THE POLICY OF THE STATE TO MAKE
EDUCATION LEARNER-ORIENTED AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS, COGNITIVE AND CULTURAL CAPACITY,
THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND DIVERSITY OF LEARNERS, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE
APPROPRIATE LANGUAGES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.
• THE IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS (IRR) OF THE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION INDICATE THAT
KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION SHALL BE INCLUSIVE. THERE SHALL BE THE HEADSTART PROGRAM FOR THE
GIFTED, EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, KINDERGARTEN MADRASAH
PROGRAM, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (IP) EDUCATION. THERE WILL ALSO BE A CATCH-UP PROGRAM FOR
CHILDREN UNDER ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
2. DSWD

• DAYCARE CENTERS IN THE PHILIPPINES, STARTED IN 1964 THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF UNICEF. SINCE
THEN THE NUMBER HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY. THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 49,000 AROUND THE
COUNTRY.

• DSWD SUPERVISED THOUSANDS OF DAYCARE CENTERS . THROUGH THE YEARS, RESOURCES AND
MANUALS WERE PRODUCED, AS WELL AS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR DAY CARE WORKERS WERE
CONDUCTED.
• THE GOALS CENTERED ON BOTH THE HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD AND THE FAMILY. ALL THESE
ENDEAVORS WERE IN COLLABORATION WITH DIFFERENT LINE AGENCIES LIKE THE DSWD, DEPED AND
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS UNICEF, WORLD BANK AND
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.

• THE DSWD HAS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ACCREDITING DAYCARE CENTERS AND DAY-CARE
WORKERS.
• ACCREDITATION IS A PROCESS WHEN DSWD THROUGH ITS AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ASSESS AND
EVALUATE WHETHER A DAYCARE CENTER MAINTAINS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF QUALITY. DSWD
ACCREDITATION COVERS STANDARDS IN FIVE AREAS, NAMELY,
(1) ADVANCEMENT OF CHILDREN'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT,
(2) PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES, COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
(3)HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT,
(4)PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION, AND
(5) PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY.
3. LGUS

• IN 1991, THE DAYCARE CENTERS WERE PUT UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
UNITS. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UNITS ON THE PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL LEVELS HAVE THEIR OWN
COLLABORATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT, NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
FOR PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND THE DAY CARE WORKERS AS WELL.
4. PRIVATE SECTOR
• OVER THE DECADES OF THE PAST CENTURY AND UP TO THE PRESENT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTED
TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THROUGH THE PRIVATE DAY-CARES AND PRESCHOOLS AROUND THE
COUNTRY.

• MANY HAVE PUT UP CENTERS OR PRESCHOOLS THAT CATER TO CHILDREN RANGING FROM 1-6.
• PRIVATE CENTERS/PRESCHOOLS REPRESENT A VARIETY OF SETTINGS, MODALITIES AND APPROACHES.
THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE CHURCH-BASED, EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED, RUN BY NON-GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS, OWNED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AS A SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP OR IN PARTNERSHIPS
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND
DEVELOPMENT ACT OR THE ECCD ACT
• IN 2000, RA 8980, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OR THE
ECCD ACT WAS PASSED. IT IS AN ACT PROMULGATING COMPREHENSIVE POLICY AND A NATIONAL
SYSTEM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT (ECCD).

• THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (ECCD COUNCIL) IS AN INTERAGENCY COMPOSED
OF AMONG OTHERS, THE DSWD, DEPED, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH), NUTRITION COUNCIL OF THE
PHILIPPINES, AND THE UNION OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES (ULAP).

• IT IS UNDER THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT.

• THE ECCD COUNCIL CAME UP WITH THE NATIONAL EARLY LEARNING FRAMEWORK (NELF). THE NELF
PROVIDES A BODY OF SIXTEEN (16) GENERAL PRINCIPLES AS GUIDES ON A) CHILD GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT B) LEARNING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND (C)LEARNING ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT.
THIS FRAMEWORK WAS ALSO ADOPTED BY DEPED IN ITS KINDERGARTEN FRAMEWORK.

• THE ECCD COUNCIL IS ALSO LINKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO ESTABLISH NATIONAL CHILD
DEVELOPMENT CENTERS (NCDC). THE CDC'S ARE INTENDED TO BE MODEL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS
THAT WILL PROVIDE QUALITY PROGRAMS FOR THE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.
 
IMPLICATIONS:

1. PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE YOUNG CHILD'S

DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT. THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE FOR CHILDREN AGES 0-8.
2. PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS NEED TO DEVELOP COMPETENCIES IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING AN
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM WITHIN THE PROPER CONTEXT. THEY NEED TO KNOW THE DIFFERENT
CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE ECCD COUNCIL AND DEPED.
3. LEARN ABOUT MTB-MLE. IT IS ALREADY MANDATED BY LAW THAT YOUNG CHILDREN BE EDUCATED FIRST
IN THE MOTHER TONGUE. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH SKILLS
AND STRATEGIES ON IMPLEMENTING THIS.

4. PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS SHOULD DEVELOP COMPETENCIES IN THE USE OF CREATIVE STRATEGIES THAT
DEVELOP THE CHILD'S CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING IN THE DIFFERENT LEARNING AREAS, STRATEGIES
THAT ARE TRULY CONSTRUCTIVIST. PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS SHOULD BE EXCELLENT BOTH IN CONTENT AND
PEDAGOGY.
5. WE NEED RESEARCH-ORIENTED, METACOGNITIVE AND INTENTIONAL TEACHERS. RESEARCH SHOULD
INFORM PRACTICE.

6. CURRICULUM PLANNERS NEED TO LOOK INTO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION MAJOR SUBJECT
OFFERINGS TO ENSURE THEY TARGET KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCIES THAT ARE MOST CRUCIAL FOR
EARLY CHILDHOOD PRACTITIONERS.
7. CURRICULUM PLANNERS NEED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR PRE-SERVICE
TEACHERS FOR THEM TO HAVE CLEAR CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH GLOBAL AND LOCAL
SCENARIOS

8. THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED) NEEDS TO CONSTANTLY WORK IN CONSULTATION

WITH "INDUSTRY", EXPERTS AND THE ACADEME TO KEEP EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CURRICULUM
EVER RELEVANT AND RESPONSIVE.
9. DSWD, ECCD COUNCIL AND DEPED SHOULD CONTINUE TO ENSURE QUALITY OF CENTERS/SCHOOLS OFFERING
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. AN ALIGNED SET OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR LICENSING AND
ACCREDITATION WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO PROGRAM PROVIDERS.

10. THE DEPED, CHED AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION (PRC) NEED TO TAKE A UNIFIED
APPROACH. DEPED POLICIES ON TEACHER STANDARDS SHOULD BE AMONG OTHERS, A BASIS FOR THE
COMPETENCIES AND OUTCOMES TARGETED BY TEACHER EDUCATION CURRICULA MANDATED BY CHED. THESE
SAME COMPETENCIES AND OUTCOMES SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS THAT GUIDE
THE LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS GIVEN BY THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATIONS COMMISSION
BOARD.
 
ANSWER THESE: INSIGHTS I HAVE GAINED IN THIS
TOPIC
1. THIS PART IS MEANT FOR YOU TO WRITE YOUR REFLECTIONS AND INSIGHTS ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION. IF YOU HAVE THE FUNDS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD A PROGRAM OR PROJECT FOR THE
YOUNG CHILDREN OF OUR COUNTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU SET? WHY YOU THINK
IT WILL BE WORTH YOUR MONEY, TIME AND EFFORT?

2. THE FIRST QUESTION IS HYPOTHETICAL, SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. THIS TIME, REFLECT
ON WHAT YOU CAN DO HERE AND NOW, FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
 WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY ABOUT IT?
BELOW ARE VERY INTERESTING REFERENCES. DOWNLOAD THESE REFERENCES. READ ALL AND CHOOSE ONE THAT YOU WILL SUMMARIZE. WRITE THE FINDINGS THAT
STRUCK YOU OR YOU FOUND MOST IMPORTANT. EXPLAIN WHY.
1. BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY LEARNING: RESEARCH ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
HTTP://WWW.WECF.ORG/PDF/BRAIN_DEV_AND_EARLY_LEARNING. PDF
2. UNESCO EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

• HTTP://UNESDOC.UNESCO.ORG/IMAGES/0014/001472/147225E. PDF
3. BULLETIN ON EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, VOL 10, DEC. 2011

• HTTP://WWW.EXCELLENCE-EARLYCHILDHOOD.CA/DOCUMENTS/BULLETINVOL10NO1DEC11ANG. PDF.
 
 
REFERENCE CHOSEN: _______________________________________

• SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:
 

• WHY DID THEY STRIKE YOU? WHY DO YOU CONSIDER THESE IMPORTANT?