To ensure every child gets equal opportunity in their early years, the education ministry has started a pilot program called mobile Early Child Care Development (ECCD) centres in five Dzongkhags across the country.
However, due to the shortage of facilitators, two mobile ECCD centres in Lhuentse have only one facilitator.
Samten Norbu, the ECCD facilitator has to look after both the Tshochen and Kharphu mobile ECCD centres.
“For instance, when I go to work at Tshochen ECCD centre, I don’t close down the other centre as parents have volunteered themselves to operate the centre in my absence,” he added.
Parents have agreed to support taking into account the importance of children’s early education
“Currently there are two of us who don’t work in the field. So when other parents don’t get time to come to the centre, we serve as a volunteer to look after the children,” Kardung, a parent volunteer from Kharphu Mobile ECCD Centre, said.
“Mobile ECCD centre is beneficial for people like us. There is no one to look after our children when we go to work. So when we enrol our children in the centre, both facilitator and parents take good care of them,” Kuenzang Choden, another parent volunteer, said.
But some parents said it is not always convenient for them.
“It would be better if we have facilitators at both the centres. It’s difficult for us to volunteer during peak farming season,” Tashi Wangmo, a parent, said.
In 12th five-year-plan, the education ministry also plans to provide 50 per cent coverage in ECCD centres. And is currently doing a feasibility study to establish more centres.
“If possible it’s important to establish one ECCD centre in every village. But it’s costly and inappropriate to establish a centre for four or five children in the entire village. So, to overcome the issue, we are establishing a mobile ECCD centre in every village. In doing so, it would benefit the children to come and learn at the centre for even two to three days in a week,” Karma Gayleg, the Dy. Chief Program Officer of ECCD under Ministry of Education, said.
The ministry is establishing mobile ECCD centres with financial support from the UNICEF.
