Republic of Kiribati Early Childhood Development

Abstract

This report presents an analysis of the
 Early Childhood Development (ECD) subsector, including
 programs and policies that affect young children in the
 Republic of Kiribati. This was a collaborative effort
 between UNICEF and the World Bank Group; it combines the
 World Bank Group’s Systems Approach for Better Education
 Results SABER-ECD framework, which includes analysis of
 early learningand child p, health, nutrition, and social
 rotection policies and interventions in Kiribati, along with
 regional and international comparisons, as well as the
 regionally developed UNICEF National Situational Analysis
 ECD, which takes a greater in-depth look at the following
 system components, which have been highlighted by the
 Pacific Region as priority components for quality Early
 Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) implementation: policy,
 legislation, and governance; human resources; curriculum,
 child assessment, and environment; performance monitoring
 and assessment; and community partnerships. In 2008, the
 Ministry of Education (MOE) drafted the Kiribati Early
 Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy, which was
 formally endorsed by Cabinet in 2010. The ECCE policy,
 targeting ages three to five, calls ECCE a “national
 responsibility” with a mission “to culturally nurture young
 children in a loving and caring environment to enhance
 through interactive play the fullest potential of their
 physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual
 growth in line with trends and development”. This country
 report presents a framework to benchmark Kiribati’s ECD
 system; each of the nine policy levers and five system
 components are examined in detail, and policy options to
 strengthen ECD are offered. This report is intended to serve
 as a first step for decision making within the government of
 Kiribati to improve the ECD system. Now that some areas in
 need of policy attention have been identified, the country
 can move forward in prioritizing policy options to promote
 healthy and robust development for all children during their
 early years.