An Evaluation of Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes in Cambodia Nirmala Rao The...

An Evaluation of Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes

in Cambodia

Nirmala RaoThe University of Hong Kong

Emma PearsonMacquarie University

Mark ConstasCornell University

3

Background Objectives Method Findings Discussion Conclusions

Outline

4

Background

Access to early childhood programmes in Cambodia Current state of Cambodian children (stunting,

wasting and underweight) Government is committed to early childhood

education but lacks resources to scale up State Preschool Provision

Alternative models of early childhood education (Community Preschools, Home-based programmes) exist BUT there has been no systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of these alternative programming strategies

5

Early Childhood Care and Education Enrollments and GERNational Rates 2000-01 to 2005-06

6.50

8.26

8.97

9.83

10.98

11.97

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

En

rollm

ent

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

Gro

ss E

nro

llmen

t R

atio

(G

ER

)

Formal (State) Pre-School Community Pre-School Home-based Pre- School

Private Pre-School Total 3-5 year olds enrolled Gross Enrollment Rate in ECCE

GER

Total Pre-School Enrollment

State Pre-Schools

Community Pre-Schools

Private Pre-Schools

6

Preschool Enrollment Trends over the period 1999-00 to 2005-06

Cambodia

Cambodia - Urban

Cambodia - Rural

Cambodia - Remote Area

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006

Nu

mb

er o

f p

up

ils

Cambodia Cambodia - Urban Cambodia - Rural Cambodia - Remote Area

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Background Objectives Method Findings Discussion Conclusions

Outline

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Objectives

1. To assess the effectiveness of the Community Preschool (CPS) and Home-based programmes (HBP) early childhood programmes on school readiness developmental outcomes.

2. To observe early care and education practices in Community Preschools and in Home-based ECD programmes.

3. To discern the perceptions of key and relevant stakeholders on how the CPS and HBP were being implemented.

4. To make suggestions relevant to the improvement, sustainability and expansion of existing programmes.

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Background Objectives Method Findings Discussion Conclusions

Outline

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Method for Objective 1: Assess programme efficacy

Children’s developmental functioning was assessed twice, one year before and just before they started Grade 1 (1312 children did pre-test)

Randomly-selected sample Randomization at the, Commune, Village and

Programme levels, respectively. Used list (alphabetical order in Khmer) with the

names of all the communes and villages in UNICEF-supported districts

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Banteay Meanchey

Battambang

Kampong Cham

Kampong Thom

Kampot

Koh Kong

Kratie

Mondul Kiri

Preah Vihear

Pursat

Ratanak Kiri

Siemreap

Sihanoukville

Stung Treng

Svay RiengTakeo

Oddar Meanchey

Kep

Pailin

Phnom PenhKampong Speu

Prey VengKandal

Kampong Chhnang

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Method for Objective 1: Assess programme efficacy

Selection of children All 5 year-old children in the selected

programme (village) were administered a test of developmental functioning

Cambodian Developmental Assessment Test

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Method for Objective 1: Assess programme efficacy

1312 children did the pre-test

1184 children did both pre-test and post-test (Attrition rate less than 10%)

1019 children did not change programme status between pre-test and post-test. These are the children we focus on in the statistical analyses

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Method for Objective 2: Observe care and education practices

Conducted in two stages

Home-based programmes were not observed per se, but we met with mothers and asked them to demonstrate what they did at home

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Stage One

Informal observations of at least one randomly-selected CPS in each of the UNICEF-supported provinces conducted by the consultants

Evaluators visited each of the 6 CPS, somewhat unannounced, and observed the entire session in each CPS

After each session we interviewed the CPS teacher

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Stage Two

Three children from three CPS programmes in each province were chosen based on their scores on the Pre-test (highest, middle and lowest scores on the CDAT)

The POE- ECE directors completed the Cambodian Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (CECERS) for these 18 children (case studies)

The directors were blind to the children’s pre-test scores and did not know why the three children were selected

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Interviewed The Village Chief of a randomly-selected village

and the relevant Commune Chief and Commune Council Focal Point for Women and Children

Teachers/ core-mothers of the SPS, CPS and HBP in the selected village in communes

Mothers whose children participated in HBP participated in focus groups that addressed their perceptions of the early childhood services their children were receiving

Provincial and National level officials

Method for Objective 3: Stakeholders’ views

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Background Objectives Method Findings Discussion Conclusions

Outline

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Pre-test CDAT scores across programmes and provinces

0

20

40

60

80

KS KT OMC PV SR ST

Province

CD

AT

Sc

ore

SPS CPS HBP Control

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Explanation of pre-test differences

Significant differences at pre-test SPS, CPS, HBP > Control SPS > CPS, HBP

Why are there differences? Where the child lives Maternal Education Preschool History

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Where the child lives All children in SPS and CPS lived in

villages which had these programmes 180/196 children in HBP had

programmes in their village Control children had no services in the

village remote areas

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Maternal education

Significant relationship between maternal education and the type of programme child attended

SPS: 11% of mothers had no education

CPS/HBP: ≈20% mothers had no education

Control: 28% mothers had no education

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Preschool history

SPS (06-07): 44% attended SPS in 05-06 11% attended CPS 05-06

CPS (06-07): 67% attended CPS in 05-06

HBP (06-07): 72% received HBP in 05-06

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Post-test CDAT scores across programmes and provinces

0

20

40

60

80

100

KS KT OMC PV SR ST

Province

CD

AT

Sco

re

SPS CPS HBP Control

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Pre-test and post-test CDAT scores across programmes

0

20

40

60

80

100

SPS CPS HBP Control

Programme

CD

AT

Sco

re

Pre-test CDAT Post-test CDAT

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Pre-test and post-test CDAT scores across provinces

0

20

40

60

80

100

KS KT PV OMC ST SR

Province

CD

AT

Sco

re

Pre-test CDAT Post-test CDAT

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Prediction of post-test scores

Maternal education, maternal literacy, paternal education, paternal literacy all significantly interrelated.

4 variables significantly contributed to prediction of post-test CDAT scores Pre-test CDAT (35% of the variance) Pre-test programme status Maternal education

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Summary and implications based on CDAT

1. Participation in a EC programme had a significant influence on children’s developmental functioning increase access

2. History of preschool attendance makes a difference get children in programmes by at least age 4

3. Community Preschools versus Home-based programmes no differences in CDAT (implications and cautions)

4. Maternal education makes a difference focus on maternal literacy education

5. Quality of learning environment look to SPS

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Observations of community preschools

Cambodian Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (CECERS)

Infrastructure (physical envt.) 12 items Personal Care and Routines: 7 items Physical Learning Aids: 7 items Language & Reasoning Experiences: 9 items Fine & Gross Motor Items: 6 items Creative Activities: 6 items Social Development Activities: 11 items

Observations in 6 provinces, 10 districts, 14 communes and 18 villages by POE-ECE Director

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CPS quality

Variability in teachers’ backgrounds and teaching and learning environments.

Physical setting/infrastructure is related to only: Physical Learning Aids Creative Activities

Physical setting/infrastructure not related to: Personal Care and Routines Language and Reasoning Experiences Gross and Fine Motor Social Development

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Interviews with teachers and parent focus groups

Positive aspects of CPS Satisfaction gained by teachers Teachers as advocates Teachers upgrading their knowledge Children learning social skills Children learning academic skills Mothers involved in children’s learning

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Interviews with teachers and parent focus groups

Major Challenges Inadequate shelter Transportation and storage Difficulties in teaching mixed age groups Irregular attendance

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Views of stakeholders: Background and history of programme

Varied across provinces

Clear preference for SPS

Support for CPS or HBP from POE varied across provinces

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Views of stakeholders: Perceived benefits of programmes

SPS: Parents: longer hours of operation Teachers: Formal training POE: clear line management by MoEYS

CPS: Teachers and parents: active, brave, confident children Commune Chief: parents learn value of early education

HBP Mothers: educates and empowers them Community benefits: decreases domestic violence,

enhances community participation

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Views of stakeholders: Administration, cost and sustainability

SPS: Well-established, well-managed and highly functional

CPS: Resources: infrastructure and learning resources Teacher incentives Teacher attendance Financial issues

HBP Considered more sustainable and easier to manage than CPS Easier to support: Only one CPS teacher but many mother

groups

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Views of stakeholders: Monitoring/ roles

HBP: Community-based monitoring; on-going support

for mothers groups

CPS: POWA supports community POE provides technical support Visits vary according to location of CPS Good to have inter-sectoral co-ordination but it

has problems lack of clarity across provinces LACK OF CLARITY can lead to LOSS OF PRIORITY

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Operation and sustainability of programmes

Operational Guidelines for the Establishment, Staffing, Curriculum, Support and Monitoring

What we found High degree of commitment CPS: Non-operation; wide variations in teacher

and programme quality; dependence on CPS teacher for programme operation

HBP: Core mothers not most educated women in village; variations in operation

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Operation and sustainability of CPS and HBP

Challenges for Scaling up Maintaining quality Leadership Low levels of teacher and maternal

education

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Background Objectives Method Findings Discussion Conclusions

Outline

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Summary and impressions

Given: the inputs required for the CPS the challenges identified in the

sustainability of CPS programmes the fact that children from CPS and HBP

programmes did not significantly differ in their school preparedness

low levels of maternal education low levels of family involvement in the

CPS

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Suggestions

Stakeholders may consider: scaling up a hybrid version of the CPS

and HBP programmes. This will allow the community to gain the advantages of both types of programmes while avoiding the some of the problems associated with operating and supporting these programmes.

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Background Objectives Method Findings Discussion Conclusions

Outline

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Conclusions

Recommendations related to Demand, Access, Enrollment and

Attendance Funding of ECCE Community Involvement Programme Quality Co-ordination among Stakeholders Scaling up CPS and HBP

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Conclusions

Stakeholders need the POLITICAL WILL to increase demand and supply

of EC programmes. This must be accompanied by clearly articulated policies, implementation plans and financial commitment .

SKILL to implement, support and evaluate EC programmes.

Specific strategies needed at the National, Provincial, District, Commune, Village, Programme and Family Levels