QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 8980)
RA 8980 is known as the “ECCD Act.” It promulgates a comprehensive policy and a national system for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), provides funds, and outlines related measures for ECCD from conception to age six.
The State recognizes children’s rights to survival, development, and special protection, and it acknowledges the nature and special needs of childhood.
The State shall institutionalize a National ECCD System that is comprehensive, integrative, and sustainable, using multi-sectoral and inter-agency collaboration at national and local levels among government, service providers, families and communities, and public and private sectors/NGOs/professional associations/academic institutions.
Examples: (1) improved infant and child survival rates via accessible health and nutrition programs; (2) enhanced physical, social, emotional, cognitive, psychological, spiritual, and language development; (3) enhanced role of parents/caregivers as primary caregivers and educators; (4) smooth transition to community/school-based setting and primary school; (5) early identification, prevention, referral, and intervention for developmental disorders and disabilities; (6) improving quality standards through registration and credentialing of ECCD service providers.
ECCD System refers to the full range of health, nutrition, early education, and social services for young children from birth to age six (6) to promote optimum growth and development.
Center-based programs and home-based programs.
It shall use the child’s first language as the medium of instruction.
ECCD Curriculum; Parent Education and Involvement/Advocacy/Mobilization of Communities; Human Resource Development Program (registration and credential system); and ECCD Management plus Quality Standards and Accreditation.
The National ECCD System shall be established in at least three (3) regions each year, as determined by the National ECCD Coordinating Council, to achieve national coverage over a five-year period.
DSWD, DECS (now typically DepEd), DOH, DILG, DOLE, DA, DOJ, NEDA, and NNC must jointly prepare annual ECCD work plans that coordinate their technical assistance and support.
The DECS/DepEd promotes the National ECCD Program in schools. ECCD programs in public schools are under the joint responsibility of the school principal/school-head and parents-teachers-community association (PTCA), within National ECCD standards and under the guidance of the City/Municipal ECCD Coordinating Committee.
Public and private pre-schools are registered by the Provincial or City ECCD Coordinating Committee upon recommendation of the DECS/DepEd division office. NGO-initiated/community/church/home/workplace-based providers are registered upon recommendation of the provincial/city social welfare and development office.
The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) shall also function as the National ECCD Coordinating Council, placed under the Office of the President.
In addition to existing CWC members, two (2) private individuals who are ECCD practitioners and experts are appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Council, for a term of two (2) years subject to one (1) reappointment.
They are financed through a combination of public and private funds. Public ECCD program providers must prioritize children from families most in need (who can at least afford private sector programs). LGUs support implementation through cost-sharing arrangements, counterpart funds for training/operations, and continued funding of primary health care programs and specific early childhood services.
P400,000,000 per year for five (5) years is appropriated for the National ECCD Program of the Council, funded from PAGCOR gross income and remitted quarterly to a special account of the Council. An additional P30,000,000 is provided from the President’s Organizational Adjustment Fund. Expenses for ECCD support packages of line agencies must be separate line items in their annual budgets.