National action plan for early childhood care and education 2013-2014-Post-validation workshop on March 5 to come up with final version |01 March 2013

The IECD organised its first workshop on Friday February 22, 2013 to validate the national action plan for ECCE 2013-2014. The plan was developed by technical teams from key ministries – health, education, community development and sports, and social affairs – in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders involved in providing ECCE services.

The March 5 workshop is being organised for members of technical teams from the line ministries to revise the plan, harmonise inter-sectoral issues and strategies, and produce the final version of the national plan which is expected to be presented at the second biennial ECCE conference to be held from April 19-20, 2013.

The national action plan validation process was overseen by a high level ECCE policy committee chaired by Vice-President Danny Faure. Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton, Education Minister Macsuzy Mondon, Health Minister Mitcy Larue, Finance, Trade and Investment Minister Pierre Laporte, and the Ambassador for Women and Children Dr Erna Athanasius also form part of the committee.

The 100 or so delegates who took part in the workshop came from key ministries as well as from public and private sector agencies and non-governmental organisations.

The workshop was opened by Designated Minister Vincent Meriton in the presence of ministers, secretary of state, principal secretaries, other senior officials and delegates
The National Action Plan for ECCE 2013-2014 is the first step in the implementation of the national ECCE framework developed in 2011 and endorsed by the key ministries.

This followed Seychelles’ adoption of the Moscow Framework of Action and Co-operation for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in 2010. The aim of the ECCE framework is to provide an innovative and comprehensive system for developing better integrated and co-ordinated early childhood services that will enable all young children to develop their potential to the fullest.
 
The framework calls for a national plan of action that brings together all sectors involved in ECCE, and one that places the child at the centre of this process.

The workshop delegates deliberated on the National Action Plan for ECCE in the light of this vision and they made many valuable contributions towards improving the plan, especially in terms of enhancing the integration of services and collaboration across sectors.

Among their recommendations were the importance of strengthening the roles of parents and other primary care givers through the provision of support, information and education, and the commitment of all stakeholders in the provision of ECCE.

The level of involvement and engagement, and quality of feedback from delegates reflect the shared commitment towards the realisation of the ECCE vision – ‘A winning start in life for all children in Seychelles’. The delegates need to be highly commended, hence contributing to the overall success of the workshop.