Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10410)
The short title of Republic Act No. 10410 is the Early Years Act (EYA) of 2013.
The Act recognizes the age from zero (0) to eight (8) years as the first crucial stage of educational development.
The Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council is responsible for children from zero (0) to four (4) years old.
The Department of Education (DepED) is responsible for children aged five (5) to eight (8) years.
The purpose is to create a comprehensive, integrative, and sustainable ECCD system involving multisectoral and interagency collaboration to promote developmentally appropriate experiences and provide special support for children including those with special needs.
The law advocates reasonable accommodation, accessible environments for children with disabilities, and use of Filipino Sign Language for the deaf community.
The components include ECCD Curriculum, Parent Education and Involvement, Advocacy and Mobilization of Communities, Human Resource Development Program, and ECCD Management.
LGUs shall allocate funds from Special Education Fund (SEF) and Gender and Development (GAD) Fund to support ECCD implementation, organize parent cooperatives, provide counterpart funds for professional development, and provide facilities for ECCD programs.
The ECCD Governing Board is composed of the Secretary of DepED as Chairperson, Executive Director of ECCD Council as Vice Chairperson, Secretaries of DSWD and DOH, Executive Director of National Nutrition Council (NNC), President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), and one private ECCD practitioner appointed by the President.
The Secretariat supports coordination and monitoring of the implementation of policies and plans formulated by the ECCD Council.
Initial funding comes from the current appropriations of DepED, DSWD, DOH, and NNC. Thereafter, annual funding is included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Additionally, PAGCOR contributes 500 million pesos per year for five years to fund National Child Development Centers.
Objectives include improving child survival rates, enhancing holistic development, facilitating smooth education transition, early intervention for special needs, upgrading service providers’ capabilities, supporting parents, promoting community involvement, improving quality standards, and ensuring education in appropriate languages and methods for children with disabilities.
ECCD System refers to a range of health, nutrition, early education, and social services programs addressing the basic holistic needs and optimum growth for children from zero (0) to four (4) years including center-based and home-based programs.
It establishes a Human Resource Development Program which includes educational programs, pre-service and in-service training, continuing education, and a registration and credential system for ECCD service providers, supervisors, and administrators.
The ECCD Council shall submit an annual physical and financial report to Congress detailing its proceedings, accomplishments, and recommendations to improve the National ECCD System.