The Education Committee under the House of Representatives has reached an agreement regarding early childhood education. During the ongoing committee meeting, Chairperson Amar Bahadur Thapa proposed a plan concerning Early Childhood Development (ECD) education, which the committee members subsequently approved.
According to the agreement, Early Childhood Education (ECE) has been integrated into the structure of basic education, encompassing the learning phase from Early Childhood Development through Grade 8.
A key decision of the agreement is that public schools will not be allowed to operate ECE programs for more than two years.
Key Points of the Agreement on Early Childhood Education:
- Operation under National Standards: Local governments will be allowed to operate ECD centers within schools under the framework of national standards. ECD centers already in operation before the enactment of the new education law can be adjusted and redistributed by local governments to ensure that at least one ECD center is available per school.
- Two-Year Program Structure: Public schools will be permitted to implement a two-year Early Childhood Development and Education program, commencing on a date determined by the Government of Nepal, provided that necessary resources are in place.
- Restriction on Program Duration: No school will be permitted to operate pre-primary education programs exceeding two years in length.
- No Age Limit for Current Facilitators: Existing ECD facilitators currently working in early childhood programs will not be subject to age limits when applying for the open competition-based recruitment process for the first time.
