Early Childhood Education and Development in Nepal: Access, Quality and Professionalism

Ramesh Bhandari

Abstract


In Nepal a national system of Early Childhood Education and Development provision for all is a vision that has yet to be realised. This article highlights issues of access, quality and professionalism within the Early Childhood Education sector in Nepal. In particular, I discuss issues of accessibility to kindergarten education in rural areas in contrast to the accessibility of well-resourced kindergartens in urban areas. I also consider the lack of a proper infrastructure, insufficient educational resources and an unqualified workforce as key problems faced by the government-funded kindergarten centres with implications for the future of Early Childhood Education and Development in Nepal. Gender and caste discrimination are also barriers to the development and accessibility of the early childhood education and development.


Keywords


early childhood education; development; access; quality; professionalism

Full Text:

PDF

References


Central Bureau of Statistics (2012), National Population and Housing Census 2011, http://cbs.gov. np/image/data/Population/National%20Report/National%20Report.pdf [access: 21.06.2017].

Education for all National Plan of Action Nepal (2001–2015), His Majesty’s Government, Ministry of Education and Sports, www.moe.gov.np/assets/uploads/files/EFA_NPA_2001-2015_Eng¬lish.pdf [access: 06.12.2017].

Education International (2010), A study conducted by the Education International ECE Task Force, http://download.ei-.org/Docs/WebDepot/ECE_A_global_scenario_EN.PDF [access: 23.06.2017].

European Union (2016), Joint Evaluation of Nepal’s School Sector Reform Plan Programme 2009–16, www.moe.gov.np/assets/uploads/files/Joint_evaluation_of_the_School_Sector_Reform_Pro¬gramme_2009-16_final_report.pdf [access: 10.07.2017].

Government of Nepal (2017), Flash I Report 2015/2016, Sanothimi Bhaktapur: Ministry of Ed¬ucation, Department of Education, www.doe.gov.np/category/flash-reports.html [access: 15.07.2017].

Kopila (2009), A newsletter on Early Childhood Development. CERID/TU with the support of UNICEF/Nepal 14.

National Planning Commission (2002), His Majesty’s Government National Planning Commission Nepal, www.npc.gov.np/images/category/10th_eng.pdf [access: 06.12.2017].

Nepal Millennium Development Goals Final Status Report (2005–2015), Government of Nepal National Planning Commission Singha Durbar Kathmandu, Nepal United Nations Country Team of Nepal United Nations House Pulchowk, Lalitpur, www.np.undp.org/content/nepal/ en/home/countryinfo.html [access: 29.06.2017].

Pande B.D. (2009), Improving Quality of Early Childhood Development Programs in Nepal. Re¬search Centre for Educational Innovation and Development (CERID) Tribhuvan University Balkhu, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Pant P., Nepal S. (2010), Status of children in Nepal. Government of Nepal, National Planning Com¬mission Secretariat. Central Bureau of Statistics, http://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2012/ Population/Monograph/Chapter%2020%20%20Status%20of%20Children%20in%20Nepal. pdf [access: 29.06.2017].

School Sector Reform Plan 2009–2015 (2009), Government of Nepal Ministry of Education.

Shrestha K., Bajracharya H.R., Aryal P.N., Thapa R., Bajracharya U. (2008), Early Childhood Policy Review in Nepal. Tribhuvan University Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Development (CERID) Balkhu, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Subedi N.C. (2010), Elimination of Gender Discriminatory Legal Provision by the Supreme Court of Nepal with Reference to Women’s Right to Property.

Tamrakar T. (2005), Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. Working Group on Minorities. 12th Session, Geneva, Switzerland.

UNICEF (2016), A Year on Nepal Earthquakes: Education Continues in Affected Districts But Children Still Need Safe and Stable Learning Environment, http://unicef.org.np/media-centre/ press-releases/2016/04/24/a-year-on-nepal-earthquakes-education-continues-in-affected-districts-but-children-still-need-safe-and-stable-learning-environment [access: 22.07.2017].

Urban M., Dalli C. (2008), Editorial. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 16(2), DOI: http://10.1080/13502930802141576.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/pe.2017.1.129
Date of publication: 2018-01-15 08:17:02
Date of submission: 2018-01-15 07:47:40


Statistics


Total abstract view - 1957
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF - 29596

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2018 Ramesh Bhandari

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.