QuestionsQuestions (CWC COUNCIL Resolution NO. 1, S. 2002, APRIL 4, 2002)
The IRR is promulgated pursuant to Section 14 of Republic Act No. 8980 (the ECCD Act).
It refers to a person or persons from conception to age six (below 7 years old).
The IRR sets policies such as promoting children’s rights (survival, development, special protection), inclusion of children with special needs, supporting parents as primary caregivers and first teachers, promoting community involvement, and ensuring multi-sectoral/inter-agency collaboration.
The system includes: (1) ECCD Curriculum; (2) Parent Education and Involvement/Advocacy/Mobilization of Communities; (3) Human Resource Development Program; (4) ECCD Program Management; and (5) Quality Standards and Accreditation.
It must focus on the child’s total development (including socio-cultural background), be consistent with national policies/standards, comprehensive and integrative (health, nutrition, early education, psycho-social, etc.), age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate, and gender-fair, culturally-relevant, and responsive to diverse children.
They participate in consultation and help in periodically developing, reviewing, and enriching ECCD curriculum standards, which must then be disseminated and adapted by public and private institutions.
To professionalize ECCD volunteers/service providers/supervisors and program managers by defining competency standards, institutionalizing recruitment/registration/credentialing, and fostering continuing education/training programs.
Public programs are nationally or locally funded and managed by government agencies or LGUs (including school-based kindergarten/Grade 1 and workplace programs). Private programs are managed and funded by private organizations/NGOs/POs duly recognized/accredited in accordance with national standards set by NECCDCC.
Planning, implementation, supervision, monitoring, evaluation, and financial management for both public and private ECCD programs.
NECCDCC, with local ECCD coordinating committees and stakeholders, must develop an M&E system with common indicators, generate baseline data, integrate data into management information systems, and use consolidated results for policy and program development.
NECCDCC selects at least three regions per year (for a five-year national coverage period). LGUs within selected regions establish their ECCD system within three years.
Low participation of 3–5 year olds in day care/pre-school services; and high incidence of poverty, low birth weight, infant/under-5 mortality, malnutrition, maternal mortality, low participation in Grade I, and high Grade I dropout.
Number of barangays with unmet 0–6 ECCD minimum basic needs indicators; low Grade I participation and high Grade I dropout; willingness to participate and ECCD as priority program; and capacity for counterpart funds under an equitable cost-sharing scheme. Component cities/municipalities similarly determine priority barangays.
CWC functions as NECCDCC. It includes existing CWC member departments/agencies, CWC secretariat, two private individuals, and a child/youth representative; it must ensure sustained inter-agency and multi-lateral collaboration and oversee standards, coordination, evaluation, and reporting for ECCD.
The Department of Health (DOH): it develops guidelines/standards/plans for ECCD, develops capabilities of health workers, ensures EPI vaccines and micronutrient supplementation, promotes maternal and child health, and supports use of developmental screening tools.
DSWD: register/license/accredit public and private ECCD centers/programs/service providers for children below 5; encourage home/community/workplace services; and promote technical support on developmental screening tools. DepEd: set standards for pre-school requirements and issue permits through Division Offices; conduct early identification/screening of disabilities and giftedness. DOH: develop health guidelines, ensure vaccines/micronutrients, and support developmental screening tools.
Four Hundred Million Pesos (₱400,000,000) per year from PAGCOR for five years is appropriated, released in accordance with government rules, and remitted in four quarterly installments to a special account of the CWC/NECCDCC.
The BCPC/BECCDCC ensures sustained basic public ECCD services (day care, home-based child minding, family day care, playgroups, Parent Effectiveness Service, MCH programs, nutrition education and growth monitoring), implements early screening/child surveillance/referral, maintains a barangay ECCD database, and integrates ECCD services into child protection under RA 7610.
They take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.