Also present for the discussion were IECD chief executive Shirley Choppy and IECD board chairman, Captain David Savy.
Dr Leste stated that the framework which came into existence in 2011 after the Moscow Declaration in 2010, needs to be reviewed when taking into account the challenges and changes in the landscape and on the length of time it had been in existence.
The framework sets a united vision “a winning start in life for all children”, articulates the priority goals and a governance structure, emphasises monitoring and data management as necessary processes for successful implementation and effective reporting.
A preliminary review of the Seychelles Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (2011) was formulated based on documentary analysis within the six global ECCE themes ‒ governance, access, early learning and development, families and communities, data availability and workforce.
However, to gain national consensus and agreement, the IECD has embarked on a plan for wider stakeholder consultation and sought the assistance of line ministries and key personnel to contribute to this developmental process and participate with the aim of presenting a balanced stakeholder perspective to inform decision-making concerning the ‘Revised Framework for ECCE’ in Seychelles.
Globally, there is a movement to increase the resilience and sustainability of ECCE systems in line with best practice pillars and research in this area. More specifically, the review situated the implementation status of the SF-ECCE within the context of the wider development of early childhood care and education, identified emerging issues and related them to current trends and the ECCE system in Seychelles in general.
In line with this, participants from a wide range of organisations and ministries, namely from education, health, social affairs, family affairs and local government and community affairs and from the IECD under the guidance of designated chairpersons ‒ Jeanne Simeon (external partner); Sonia Mancienne (vice chairperson of IECD board/ECCE educator); Yasmin Umarji, chief executive of the National Council for Children (NCC); Bernard Shamlaye, former ambassador and minister; Fabien Palmyre director general for planning and policy development division within the Ministry of Education; and Dr Leste himself ‒ were placed in six discussion groups based on the six thematic areas mentioned above to take into consideration implementation status, barriers to implementation, requirements for improvement and general system issues on coordination, collaboration, and partnership.
Mr Leste said the different groups have been meeting for a month to discuss and prepare their report on the framework and their recommendations were shared with others during the consultative session.
Mrs Choppy later said the strong point that came out from the discussion is the restructuring of the parenting framework as there are some deficiencies in its implementation especially for parents who are on substance abuse. She added that although the ECCE governance structure in the country is recognised worldwide, missing as identified in the discussion is a high level ECCE committee to provide governance and strategic directions on policies on children’s development.
She noted that the discussion session will be followed by others for ECCE chairpersons and stakeholders in other sectors and will also include principal secretaries and ministers to get their inputs on the framework.
She added that when inputs from all stakeholders have been gathered, work on the new framework will begin following which the document will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for endorsement as a national framework.
Courtesy: Patrick Joubert (Nation.sc)
