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Child Rights Observatory ENCRO

Egypt National Child Rights Observatory (ENCRO) is a tri-partite initiative aiming to put the bases for a scientific research mechanism

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Early Childhood Development Program

Goal

The goal of the Early Childhood Development program is to assure that every child enjoys the right to develop his or her early childhood to the fullest. The program does this by

Preparing comprehensive quality criteria for institutions that are active in the field of early childhood.
Preparing a diagnostic study of the reality of the role of nurseries in the governorates of Giza and Qalyubiya.
Increasing the absorption rate of 4 to 6-year-olds in kindergartens.
Preparing and carrying out the training of cadres about the comprehensive quality criteria.

Geographical Scope

The program is active in the following governorates: Cairo, Giza, Qalyubiya, Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailiya, Suez, Aswan, New Valley, South Sinai, and al-Gharbiya.

Target Group(s)

The program targets children aged 0 to 8 and all those working with children of this age group.

Achievements

The Early Childhood Development Program has:

Formulated the overall quality criteria for early childhood institutions (10).
Prepared a study on the importance of incubators in the governorates of Giza and Qalyubiya.
Offered courses for nursery teachers and trained cadres about the overall quality criteria.
Prepared an experimental program to stimulate the enrolment of young children aged 4 to 6 in kindergarten classes (target: 60% by 2010).

Challenges

The program is working on the establishment of multi-functional centre that would organize a training course about the comprehensive quality criteria for kindergarten teachers and managers. It also wants to offer a professional development course for kindergartens teachers and tutors.
The ECD program works for the formulation of a small sub-committee within the Commission of Early Childhood in order to prepare the program to increase the number of children enrolled in kindergarten classes, in accordance with the framework outlined in the State's plan.

Partner(s)

Partners in the Early Childhood Development program include the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Ministry of Education, several NGOs, the General Office Diwan of the Governorates, volunteers, Kindergarten Colleges, and businessmen.