Review of the integRated eaRly Childhood development poliCy

implementation

Ulaanbaatar

2007

taBle of Content

Introduction 8

Goalofthereview 8

Scopeofthereview 8

Reviewmethodology 8

Reviewprocess 8

Reviewteam 9

Reviewreport 9

Executivesummary 10

SECTIONONE.THEENVIRONMENTANDSYSTEMOFSOCIALSERVICESFORYOUNGCHILDREN

1.1Socio-economicenvironment 14

1.2Pre-schooleducation,leisuretimeservices 15

1.3Healthservices 18

1.4Socialprotectionforyoungchildren 20

1.5Inter-sectoralcollaborationconcerningearlychildhooddevelopment 21

SECTIONTWO.REVIEWMETHODOLOGY

2.1Sampling 24

2.2Interviewandfocusgroupdiscussion 24

2.3Traininganddatacollection 25

2.4Dataprocessing 26

SECTIONTHREE.FINDINGOFTHEREVIEWOFTHEINTEGRATEDEARLYCHILDHOODDEVELOPMENTPOLICYIMPLEMENTATION

3.1IntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy 28

3.2TheimplementationofIntegratedearlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy 29

SECTIONFOUR.PRE-SCHOOLEDUCATIONSERVICE

4.1Theaccessibility,qualityandeffectivenessofpre-schooleducation 36

4.1.1Accesstopre-schooleducation 36

4.1.2Qualityofpre-schooleducation 37

4.1.3Effectivenessofpre-schooleducation 37

4.1.4Inter-sectoralregulations 39

4.2Theresponsibilityoffamilieswithyoungchildren 40

4.3Achievementsinpre-schooleducation 41

4.4Pressingissuesofpre-schooleducation 41

CONCLUSIONSANDRECOMMENDATIONS 46

Annex 49

3

1 province

foRewoRd

UNICEFandUNESCOsupportedtheEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewinMongoliaaspartofaregionalinitiativeimplementedinninecountriesoftheAsia-Pacificregion.Thesupportprovidedfacilitatedthesystematicandeffectiveimplementationofthisreview.

TheGovernmentofMongolia expressed its readiness toconduct theEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreview.UndertheguidanceandcoordinationoftheMinistryofEducation,CultureandScience,aninter-sectoralresearchteamwasestablishedtoconductthereview.TheteamconsistedofresearchersandstaffoftheMinistryofEducation,CultureandScience,MinistryofSocialWelfareandLabor,InstituteofPublicHealth,CollegeofPre-schoolEducationandNationalUniversityofMongolia.

TheobjectiveoftheEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewistoimprovethepolicydocument,approvedbyMinistryofEducation,CultureandScience,MinistryofSocialWelfareandLaborandMinistryofHealth,throughnationalandlocallevelreviewsofitsimplementation,todevelopapproachesandmechanismstogetherwithrelatedrecommendationsforaneffectiveimplementationofthepolicy.

WestronglybelievethatthefindingsoftheEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewwillcontributetothefutureimprovementofthegovernmentpoliciestoaddresstheneedofallchildren,familiesandtheimprovementofsocialservicesforyoungchildreninMongolia.Ithopefullywillalsoserveasanimportantbasisforfuturereferencetomeasuretheachievementthecountryhasreachedinthedevelopmentofitsyoungcitizens.

Wewouldliketothanktheresearchteam,theministriesinvolvedintheresearchandthosewhosupportedtheteamtoconductthereviewintheirrespectiveaimags,suchastheadministrationsofUvs,Tuv,Bayanhongor,UmnugobiandSuhbaataraimag1sandoftheMetropolitandistrictsSongino-Khairhan,BayanzurhandBaganuur.

S.TUMUR-OCHIR BERTRANDDESMOULINS

ViceministerMECS UNICEFrepresentative

Mongolia Mongolia

4

aCknowledgement

ThecurrentreportoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewwasprepareduponsuccessfulcompletionofthereviewbytheteamappointedbytheMinistryofEducation,CultureandScience.

Thereviewaimedatdevelopingrecommendationsforupdateofthepolicypaperbasingonananalysisofthequantitativeandqualitativedataonaccess,qualityandeffectivenessoftheeducation,healthandsocialprotectionservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildrenaswellasofthesectorcoordination.

ThereportoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyimplementationreviewembracesessentialinformationondevelopmentpolicypapersontheissuesrelatedtoyoungchildreninMongoliaandtheirimplementation.

WeareextendingourthankstotheregionalorganizationofficesofUNICEFandUNESCO,tothestaffofUNICEFinMongoliafortheirtechnicalandfinancialsupportandtheircooperationenablingthetimelyandsuccessfulimplementationofthereviewinaccordancetotheinternationalstandardsandatprofessionallevel.WespeciallythanktheearlychildhooddevelopmentadvisorMs.JudithEvansforherindispensablecontibutionstothedevelopmentofthereviewmethodologyandwritingthereport.

Doctor,Prof.J.Batdelger

Reviewteamleader

Director,CollegeofPre-SchoolEducation

5

aBRevationS

CBSS ConvergentBasicSocialService

CPSE CollegeofPreschoolEducation

EC EarlyChildhood

ECC EducationandCultureCenter

ECD EarlyChildhoodDevelopment

IECDP IntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy

IPH InstituteofPublicHealth

MDG MillenniumDevelopmentGoal

MECS MinistryofEducation,CultureandScience

MOH MinistryofHealth

NUM NationalUniversityofMongolia

MSWL MinistryofSocialWelfareandLabor

NAC NationalAuthorityforChildren

NSO NationalStatisticsOffice

PSE PreschoolEducation

SCUK SavetheChildren(UK)

UN UnitedNations

UNDP UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme

UNICEF UnitedNationsInternationalChildren’sFund

WVI WorldVisionInternational

6

gloSSaRy

Early childhood:Theperiodfromthetimeofdevelopmentofachildinhis/hermother’swomb(0yearsold)andtheof6-7yearsold;

Early childhood development: Thecognitive,motor,language,socialandemotionaldevelopmentofachild.

Child with a disability: achildwithcongenital,hereditaryoracquiredfullorpartiallossofmental,physicalorsensoryabilities.

Alternative training:Non-traditionaltrainingapproaches(ger2kindergarten,mobileteacher,andmobilekindergarten)usedforschoolpreparationandsupportofthedevelopmentofchildrenbetweentheages3-6yearsold.

Variable cost: Normativeexpensesperchildinakindergartenanda(non-)formalschoolofanyformofownership.

Kindergarten: Apre-schooleducation-trainingestablishmentprovidingphysicalandintellectualdevelopmentservicesforchildrenfromtheageoftwoyearsolduntilenrolmentinprimaryschool.Kindergartensprovidepre-schooleducationinaccordancewiththenationaleducationstandardofMongolia.

2 Traditional dwelling

7

RefeRenCeS

GuidelinesfortheEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewcarriedoutin9countriesoftheAsia-Pacificregion.UNICEF,UNESCO.Bangkok2006.

IntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy.MECS,MOH,MSWL.Ulaanbaatar2005.

Statisticaldataofthe2006-2007academicyearoftheEducationsector.MECS.Ulaanbaatar2007.

MasterPlantodevelopeducationofMongoliain2006-2015.MECS.Ulaanbaatar2006.

ImplementationoftheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals in2005-2006,theSecondNationalReport”.GovernmentofMongolia.Ulaanbaatar2007.

ChildDevelopment2005survey(MICS-3).NSO,UNICEF.Ulaanbaatar2007.

HumanDevelopmentReport.GovernmentofMongolia,UNDP.Ulaanbaatar2003.

Thesituationofchildrenwithdisabilitiesfor2005.MECS.Ulaanbaatar2006.

ChildbenefitsandPovertyReduction:EvidencefromMongolia’sChildMoneyProgramme:AnthonyHodges,Anne-GlaireDufay,KhurelmaaDashdorj,Budragchaa,TuyaMungun,KangYunJong,Ulaanbaatar2006.

Injurystudiesofchildren(2003-2005).MSWL,ChildandAdolescentSupportCenter,UNICEF.Ulaanbaatar2007.

8

intRodUCtion

UNICEFandUNESCOhavebeenconductingareviewoftheimplementationoftheEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentProgrammeinninecountriesoftheAsiaPacificRegion.Thereviewaimstohelpimproveearlychildhoodeducationbystudyingandscalingupbestpractices.Althoughtheregionalreviewpursuesawideranginggoal,itwasalsodesignedtoberelevanttothelocalconditionsandneedsoftheparticipatingcountries.Thepolicyreviewwillsupporttheimplementationofnationalpolicies,facilitateimprovementofthesocialservicesforyoungchildrenandprovideopportunitiesforenrichmentoftheknowledgeandexperienceoftheparticipatingcountries.

Goal of the review

ThereviewaimstoassessthecurrentsituationofearlychildhooddevelopmentbyanalysingtheimplementationoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy(IECDP)attheregionalandnationallevels.Throughquantitativeandqualitativecomparisonoftheeducation,health,nutritionandprotectionservicesforyoungchildren,theIECDPreviewwillformulaterecommendationsforimprovingtheaccessibility,quality,effectivenessandregulatoryenvironmentofsocialservicesforyoungchildren.

TherecommendationsofthepolicyreviewwillhelpactivitiesintheareaofearlychildhooddevelopmenttoworktowardstheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals,EducationforAllGoalsandMasterPlantodevelopeducationofMongoliain2006-20153(MECS2006).

Scope of the review

TheIECDPreviewwasperformedinUvs,Bayanhongor,Umnugobi,SuhbaatarandTuvaimagsaswellasinthedistrictsofSonginohairhan,BayanzurhandBaganuurofUlaanbaatar.Eighty-threerepresentativesofrelatedgovernmentalandnon-governmentalorganizationswereinterviewedindividuallyand31focusgroupdiscussionswereheldamongstparentsofyoungchildren.

Review methodology

ThereviewmethodologywasdevelopedfollowingthegeneralguidelinessuggestedbyUNICEFandUNESCOadaptingtothespecificconditionsofMongolia.Thereviewwasalsodesignedtoensureequalparticipationoftheorganizationsandinstitutionsprovidingservicestoyoungchildrenandthestakeholdersreceivingthoseservices.Interviewswiththeaimag,soumanddistrictgovernorsandthemanagementandstaffofhealth,educationandsocialwelfareinstitutionsandnon-governmentalorganizationswereconductedaccordingtoaprescribedsetofinterviewquestions.TheseinterviewsgeneratedasubstantialamountofopeninformationontheIECDP.Informationfromservicerecipientswascollectedthroughfocusgroupdiscussions.Thefocusgroupdiscussionswithparents,caretakersandstaffofserviceorganizationsutilizedseveralparticipatoryappraisalmethods,suchasproblemtrees,piecharts,communitymappingandprocesscalendars4.

Review process

TheIECDPreviewwasimplementedinthreestages:preparation,datacollectionandanalysis.Thepreparatorystageinvolveddevelopmentofthereviewmethodology,analysisofthesecondarysourcedataandenhancementofthecapacityofthelocalresearchers.Theresearchersintheaimags

3 Master Plan to Develop Education of Mongolia in 2006-2015. MECS. Ulaanbaatar 2006.4 See the Annex for detailed information on the review methodologies.

9

anddistrictsinaccordancegatheredthereviewdatatothereviewmethodology.Thedataanalysiswasperformedatthenationallevel,andthefirstreportofthepolicyreviewwasdevelopedbasedonthedataanalysis5.

Review team

TheCollegeofPre-SchoolEducationoftheMongolianStateUniversityofEducationsupervisedtheIECDPreviewteam.Thereviewteamconsistedofresearchersandassistants.Inconnectionwiththeobjectiveofthereview,thefourmainresearcherswereselectedduetotheirexpertiseinoneormoreofthefollowingareas:socialpsychology,health,children’snutrition,pre-schooleducationandyoungchildren’ssocialprotection.Thefunctionsofthemainresearchersweretodevelopthereviewmethodology,organizedatacollectioninthefield,analyzethedataandpreparethereport.Aftercollectingandanalyzingthedata,theresearchersformulatedrecommendationsforimprovingimplementationoftheIECDP.

Theresearchassistantsplayedamajorroleinthecollectionofdatainthefieldandinfacilitatingthereviewprocessoverall.

Review report

TheIECDPReviewreporthasbeenorganizedintothefollowingsections:introduction,overviewofsocialenvironment,reviewmethodology,findingsoftheIECDPreview,conclusionsandrecommendationsandtheannexes.

TheIntroductiondescribestheobjective,scopeandmethodologyofthereview.ThefirstsectionintroducesthepresenteconomicandsocialsituationandthecurrentstateofsocialservicesforyoungchildreninMongolia.Anexplanationofthelegalenvironment,structure,budgetandorganizationofthemainareasoftheservicesforyoungchildren,suchaspre-schooleducation,healthandsocialprotectionandtheinter-correlationsbetweentheseareas,hasbeenincluded.Thesecondsectiondescribesthesampling,questionnairedesign,datacollectionmethodologyanddataprocessingofpolicyreview.ThethirdsectiondescribestheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyandtheoutcomesofitsreview.Italsobrieflydescribestheobjective,itsquantitativeandqualitativeparameterstogetherwiththeresultsoftheanalysisoftheindividualinterviewsandstatisticaldata.ThefourthsectiondescribestheachievementsandproblemsintheimplementationoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicythroughanin-depthstudyoftheaccess,qualityandefficiencyofpre-schooleducationservices.ThefindingsarefollowedbytheconclusionsandrecommendationsforimprovingimplementationoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy.KeysupportingdocumentsandresearchtoolshavebeenincludedattheendofthereportintheAnnex.

5 The detailed review plan has been included in the Annex.

10

eXeCUtive SUmmaRy

Introduction

ThereviewoftheimplementationoftheIECDPinMongoliawasconductedaspartoftheEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewcarriedoutinninecountriesoftheAsia-PacificregionbyUNICEFandUNESCO.

Thereviewexaminedtheaccess,qualityandeffectivenessofthesocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildrenwithinthescopeoftheimplementationoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyandprovidedrecommendationsonhowtoaligntheearlychildhooddevelopmentsupportactivitieswiththeMillenniumDevelopmentGoal,EducationforAllgoalandtheMasterPlanforDevelopmentoftheEducationSector.

TheIECDPreviewdefinedtheinter-sectoralcorrelationsandcooperation,enrichingtheknowledgeforpredictingfuturetendencies.

Pre-school education services

In2007,thegrosspre-schooleducationenrolmentratewas54.1percent6.Intheacademicyear2006-2007,94,702childrenwereeducatedin3,186classesof742kindergartensnationwide.Ofthesekindergartens,87percentwerepublic,8percentwereprivateand5percentwereownedandoperatedbynon-governmentalorganizations.

Ofthe12,500peopleemployedinthepre-schooleducationsector,3,262wereteachers.Atthenationallevel,pre-schooleducationinstitutionshadanaverageof29childrenperteacher.However,inUlaanbaatarandothermajorsettlements,thisratioclimbedtoashighas45childrenperteacher.

SincetheinceptionoftheIECDP,thepre-schooleducationenrolmentratehasincreasedandthecareofparentsfortheirchildrenhasimprovedintheaimags,soumsanddistrictscoveredinthisreview.However,thedirectandindirectimpactsoftheintegratedpolicyweredifficulttoisolate.Intheaimagsincludedinthereview,only36to40percentofpre-schoolagechildrenwereenrolledinkindergartens,andalternativetrainingcovered8to10percentofpre-schoolagechildren.Onaverage,lessthanhalfofallchildrenintheaimagsincludedinthereviewhavehadaccesstopre-schooleducation.

Health services for young children

ThebirthrateinMongoliahasdecreasedoverthelastfiveyearsfrom64to40per1,000livebirths.Thus,ithasdecreasedby36per1000.Ontheotherhand,mortalityamongchildrenunderfiveyearsolddecreasedfrom87to51per1,000livebirths7.

Althoughtheyearsofthepolicyimplementationhaveseendecreaseinthematernalandchildren’smortality,thisindicatorhasstillvariedbylocation.

6 Statistical bulletin of the Education Sector for 2006-2007. MECS. Ulaanbaatar 2007.7 Child and Development 2005 (MICS-3) survey. NSO, UNICEF. Ulaanbaatar 2007.

11

ThemostcommondiseasesaffectingchildreninMongoliainorderofprevalencehavebeen:(i)respiratorydiseases,(ii)diarrhea,(iii)prenataldiseasesrelatedtotheprocessofbirthanditscomplications,(iv)poisoningandinjuries,(v)contagiousdiseasesand(vi)skindiseases.In2005,thedifferencesbetweenthehealthconditionsofchildrenunderfiveyearsoldinurbanandinruralareaswere:a)2.2timeshigherincidenceofrespiratorydiseases,(18.4percenturbanand41.7percentrural);1.8timeshigherincidenceofdiarrhea(4.7percenturbanand8.5percentrural);3.1timeslowerincidenceofpoisoningandinjury(4.1percenturbanand1.3percentrural);1.3lowerincidenceofcontagiousdiseases(2.5percenturbanand1.9percentrural);1.2timeslowerincidenceofskindiseases(3.2percenturbanand2.6percentrural)8.

Comparedwiththeyear2000,underweightinchildrenunderfiveyearsolddecreasedbytwotimes,wastingdecreasedbysixtimesandstandingreducedbyfivepercentin2005and2006.

Social Protection services for young children

Inordertoimproveaccesstosocialwelfareservicesforyoungchildren,theGovernmentofMongoliaestablishedits“FundforChildren”todelivertheso-called“ChildMoney”,cashgrantsforchildrenundertheageofeighteenyearsold.Thisactivitycovered845,000childrenbytheendof2006.Theconditionsforreceivingthe“ChildMoney”wererefinedin2007toincludeallchildrenlivingandbeingraisedinMongoliaaswellastochildrentemporarilyresidingoverseas.

Theseventeenarticlesoflegislaturethatcovertheservicesdeliveredtochildrenwithdisabilitieswerebeingmergedintosixarticlesofintegratedservices9.Thesechangeshavecreatedconditionsforsocialworkerstoprovidesocial,psychologicalandlegalcounselingtochildrenwithdisabilitiesandtheirfamiliesandtoinvolvethesechildrenandtheirguardiansinvariousprogrammesdesignedtoimprovethelivelihoodsofpeoplewithdisabilities.

Thesocialprotectionservicesweredeliveredtoyoungchildreninthefollowingforms:forchildrenindifficultcircumstancesandchildadoption.Theservicesdeliveredtochildrenindifficultcircumstancesweredividedintodiscount,aidandcommunitybasedcare.Thecommunitybasedcareservicesincludeddevelopingself-confidenceinparentswithyoungchildren,providingtraining,workingskills,counselling,andreferral,inclusioninrehabilitationservices,temporarysheltering,andfamilycare.

Conclusion

ThereviewhasdemonstratedthattheimplementationoftheIECDPhasbeenachievingcertainimpactsontheaccess,qualityandeffectivenessoftheservicesforyoungchildren.Besidesthesepositiveachievements,theinter-sectoralcoordinationasanobjectiveofthepolicywasinsufficientatthelocallevel.Thegovernmenthasbeenandshouldremainthemaindutybearerforearlychildhooddevelopment,buttheresponsibilitiesofparentsandcommunitiesshouldbeincreased.Thiswillbeeffectiveinimprovingtheaccess,qualityandeffectivenessofthesocialservicesandstreamliningthefunctionsofthegovernment.

ThefollowingrecommendationsweresuggestedforfurtherimprovementoftheimpactandeffectivenessoftheIECDPinaccordancewiththeMillenniumDevelopmentGoal,EducationforAllgoalandMasterPlantoDevelopEducationofMongolia:

Revisethepolicydocumenttoimproveitsfeasibilityofimplementationinruralareas;•

8 Statistics of the MîH, Ulaanbaatar 2006. 9 Mongolian Law on Social Welfare for People with Disabilities, Ulaanbaatar 2006.

12

ReconsiderthebudgetallocationsfortheactivitiesnecessaryforimplementationoftheIECDPatthenationalandlocallevels;

Build cooperation capacity of the parties implementing the IECDP and specify themechanismsforthiscooperationinthepolicypaper;

MaintainequalparticipationofallstakeholdersimplementingtheIECDP,improveinter-sectoralcooperationandstreamlinethemanagementandimplementationstructures.

•

•

•

SeCtion one. the enviRonment and SyStem of SoCial

SeRviCeS foR yoUng ChildRen

c“F

ores

tkee

per”

Ts.

Tuv

shin

tugs

14

1.1 SoCio-eConomiC enviRonment

MongoliaisalandlockedcountrylocatedbetweentheSiberianregionoftheRussianFederationandthedesertandsteppezonesofInnerMongoliaandXinjianprovincesofthePeople’sRepublicofChina.Thisgeographicpositiondeeplyaffectsthenation’seconomy.Mongoliafeaturesaseverecontinentalclimatewhereasthecurrentglobalwarminganddisturbanceoftheworld’secologicalbalancehasledtoincreasedfrequencyanddurationofnaturaldisastersinMongolia.Asaresult,desertificationhasintensifiedacrossthecountry.

Mongolia’spopulationwas2.6millionin2006,fourteenpercentofwhowereyoungchildrenundertheageofsevenyearsold.Approximately60percentofthetotalpopulationresidedinthethreemajorcitiesUlaanbaatar,DarhanandErdenet10.Theremaining40percentlivedintheaimagcenters,soumcentersandcountryside.

Therewereover700,000womenofreproductiveage.Theaverageannualincreaseofthepopulationhasbeen1.3percentsince2000.Thistrendhascontinuedandevenincreasedin2007asaresultofthedemographicpolicycarriedoutbythegovernment.The“TotalBirthFactor”(TBF)hasdecreasedby58percentduringthelastfifteenyearsfromfourpercentin1990totwopercentin200511.The“generalmortalitycoefficient”decreasedfrom8.3to6.3percentper1,000peoplebetween1990and2006.Infantmortalityalsodecreasedfrom64.4percentto20.7percentper1,000livebirths.

Economicgrowthhasstabilizedduringrecentyearswithanincreaseingrossdomesticproduct(GDP)of4.0percentin2002to8.0percentin2006.Thetotalannualincomepercapitawas446USDin2002andgrewto885USDin2006.TheboomofthepriceforgoldandcopperontheinternationalmarketfavourablyinfluencedtheeconomyofMongolia.Ontheotherhand,theeconomyhasbeennegativelyaffectedbythecountry’slandlockedposition.Mongoliaimportsmostofitscombustibles(100percent),cerealandfoodproducts(70percent)fromtheRussianFederation,KazakhstanandPRC.

Agriculture,mineralextraction,processingandserviceindustrieshavecometodominatetheMongolianeconomy.Together,thesesectorsmadeup30percentofgrossdomesticproductin2006.Mongolia’ssteadyeconomicgrowthhasbeenfavourablyinfluencedbytheincreasedpriceofgoldandcopperontheglobalmarket.

Despitethesepositiveeconomictrends,around36percentofthepopulationlivedbelowthesubsistencelineinpovertyandextremepoverty.Hiddenunemploymentandemploymentinnon-formalsectorsoftheeconomywerecommonwithnegativeimplicationsontheaccesstosocialservices.

Bytheendof2006,only20percentofhouseholdslivedinapartmentblockswithrunningwaterandcentralizedheating,while2.3percentwerelivinginhostelsandsheltersunfitfordecentliving.Purifieddrinkingwaterwasavailabletolessthantwo-thirds(62%)ofurbanhouseholdsandtoonly17.3percentofruralhouseholds.

AirpollutioninexcessoftheminimumtolerancelevelinUlaanbaatarandothercitiesaswellasthepollutionofsoilandwaterhasservedasthemainfactorsofincreasingratesofrespiratoryandcontagiousdiseasesamongyoungchildren.Accordingtothereportof2003oftheMinistryof

10 The city of Ulaanbaatar officially registered its millionth citizen in March 2007.11 Situation analysis of children and women in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 2007.

15

Health,69percentofchildrenoftheagebelow1yearold,65percentofchildrenoftheageof1-4yearsoldand38percentofchildrenoftheageof5and9yearsoldhavesufferedfromrespiratorydiseases.Thenumberofchildreninjuredinaccidentsincreasedfrom16,199in2003to17,174in2005.Domesticaccidentsinvolvingyoungchildrenmadeupalargepart(75percent)inthese.Childrenundertheageoffiveyearsoldconstituted65percentofallchildrenwhowereinjuredbyburningandtenpercentofchildvictimsoftrafficaccidents12.

1.2 pRe-SChool edUCation SeRviCeS

Current situation

Intheacademicyear2006-2007,thegrosspre-schoolenrolmentratewas54.1percent13.94,702childrenwereenrolledin742kindergartensthroughoutthecountry.Ofthesekindergartens,87percentwerepublic,eightpercentwereprivateandtheremainingfivepercentbelongtovariousorganizations.Thesekindergartenshave3,186classesincluding664schoolpreparationclasses.

Ofthe12,500peopleemployedinpre-schooleducation,3,262wereteachers.Atthenationallevel,pre-schooleducationinstitutionshadanaverageof29childrenperteacher.However,inUlaanbaatarandothermajorsettlements,thisratioclimbedtoashighas45childrenperteacher.

Table 1: ECD system profile

Item Description

Name of the discipline

EarlyChildhoodDevelopment:theperiodstartingfromtheformationoffetuschildrenundertheageofsevenyearsoldisanespeciallyimportantstageinhumandevelopment,whichencompassesissuesofchildhealth,survival,development,educationandprotection.

Age group concerned undersevenyearsold

Entry age into primary school 7-8yearsold

Status within education Pre-schooleducation

Three main services by concerned age group(1)

Nursery:groupofage1-2yearsoldMainservice:Care&Development

(2) Kindergarten:groupofage3-7yearsoldMainservice:Education,DevelopmentandCare

(3) AlternativeformsofECDP:groupofage3-7yearsoldMainservice:DevelopmentandEducation

Three main ministries by concerned age group (ifapplicable,identifytheleadministry)

(1)

MinistryofEducation,CultureandScience,concernedagegroup0-7yearsold

(2) MinistryofHealth,concernedagegroup0-7yearsold

(3) MinistryofSocialWelfareandLabor,concernedagegroup0-7yearsold

GER in pre-primary education (ISCED-0)(%,year) 54.1%(2006)

12 Injury studies of children (2003-2005). MSWL, Child and Adolescent Support Centre, UNICEF, Ulaanbaatar 2007.13 MECS Statistics. Ulaanbaatar 2006.

16

Legal environment

Since1995,theeducationsystemofMongoliahasbeencomprisedofbothformalandnon-formaleducation.AccordingtotheEducationActofMongolia,theeducationsystemconsistsofpre-school,primaryandsecondaryschoolandtertiary(university)levels.ThePrimaryandSecondaryEducationActofMongoliaprovidesthatkindergartensaspre-schooleducationalinstitutionsshouldassistthedevelopmentofyoungchildrenphysicallyandintellectuallybeginningfromtheageoftwoyearsolduntilthepointatwhichtheyenrolinaschool.Theselawsprovideindetailthecontent,standardandteachingmethodologiesofpre-schooleducationalestablishments.

TheGovernmentofMongoliahasbeenimplementinganationalprogrammecalled“Pre-SchoolEducationStrengthening-2”since2001toenhancethemanagementandqualityofpre-schooleducation,increasethetoysupplies,improvesupportfornon-publicpre-schoolestablishmentsandbuildthecapacityofpre-schoolpersonnel.Inaddition,theMasterPlantoDevelopEducationofMongoliain2006-2015hassetupanobjectivetoachievea95percentpre-schoolenrolmentratebytheendof2015.

Institutions

TheMinistryofEducation,CultureandSciencetogetherwiththeaimagandcitydistrict-level educationauthorities and socialdevelopmentdepartmentsprovidemanagementandadministrationtopre-schooleducationestablishments.CouncilswithadvisoryfunctionsinlocaleducationpolicyanddevelopmentoperatewithintheaimagandUlaanbaatareducationauthorities.TheInstituteofEducationthatworksunderthesupervisionoftheMinistryofEducation,CultureandScienceconductssurveysandresearchonpre-schooleducationdevelopment.Inturn,theresearchandsurveydataaredistributedamongstpublicandnon-publickindergartenteachersandmethodologists.TheMECSalsodeliverstrainingtobuildthecapacityofthestaffofpre-schooleducationestablishments.

Budget and financing

In2006,theGovernmentofMongoliaspenttwentypercentofthenationalannualbudgetincomeontheeducationsector.Fromthistotalspendingoneducation,twentypercentwasdevotedtopre-schooleducation.Inaddition,thesupportofnationalandinternationaldonorsaswellasthedonationsofindividualsstillplayedanimportantpart14.Theaimag/metropolitaneducationauthoritiesanddistrictdepartmentsforsocialdevelopmenthavebeenreceivingfundingfromtheMECS,submittingtoittheirlong-termgoalsandactionplansandenteringexecutiveagreementswithitsince2002incompliancewiththeBudgetOrganizations’ManagementFundingActofMongolia.Thebudgetaryfundingoftheeducationalandscientificestablishmentswas195.2billionMNTin2006.Fromthisbudget,29.8billionMNTwerespentonpre-schooleducation.Theaverageannualoperationalcostperchildinkindergartenwas150,000.Fromthis,72percent(90,000MNT)werespentforsalariesandnineteenpercent(23,800MNT)werespentforsocialinsurancepremiums.Theremainingninepercent(11,200MNT)werespentonitemssuchasstationery,postage,uniforms,medicine,books,furniture,repairs,training,perdiemfordomestictrips,variousfees,sportcompetitions,one-timeawards,andallowances.

Human resources

TheSchoolofPre-SchoolEducationoftheUniversityofEducationoffersbachelor’sandmaster’sdegreesthroughfull-time,eveningorcorrespondencecoursesforteachers,methodologists

14 International organisations have donated money to construct new kindergartens, repair existing buildings and to increase toys and training accessories. UNICEF, the European Union, Save the Children (UK), UNESCO and other international agencies donated toys and training supplies worth 1.5 million MNT to 150 kindergartens, computers and training equipment to over 30 kindergartens as well as motorcycles, cars and training aids for mobile teachers in order to support alternative forms of training.

17

andmanagementstaffofpreschooleducationinstitutions.Thepre-schooleducationsectoremployed12,500peoplein2007,includingdirectors,teachers,assistantteachersandservicestaff.Thekindergartenteacherswererankedasmethodologists,leadingteachersandadvisingteachers.Acentralizedgovernmentaladministrativeinstitutionissuesteacher’slicensesandprofessionalrankings.

DuringtheperiodoftheIECDPimplementation,MinistryofEducation,CultureandScienceformulatedandapprovedthe“Procedureforissuingandterminatinglicensesforteachersofschoolsandkindergartens”,“Procedureforissuanceandterminationofprofessionaldegreesformethodologistsofgeneraleducationalschoolsandeducationauthoritiesandforteachersofnon-formaleducation”,and“Procedureofpromotionofqualificationofteachersandrelatedofficialsofpre-school,primaryandsecondaryeducation”.

Table 2: ECCE service profile

Item Service 1 Service 2 Service 3 Service 4 Service 5

Names Nursery Kindergarten Gerkindergarten Mobileteacher Nutritioncare

centre

Age served 1-2 3-6(7) 3-6(7) 3-6(7) 3-6(7)

Objectives (education,careoreducationandcare)

Care&Development

Education,Development

andCare

DevelopmentandCare

Education&Development

Care&Development

Settings Building building traditionalhouse/ger15 familybased building

National curricula or other pedagogical guidelines

Nationalcurriculum

forpreschooleducation

Nationalcurriculum

forpreschooleducation

Guidelinesforsummer

training

Guidelinesformobileteachers

Nationalcurriculum

forpreschooleducation

Enrolment rates (%,year;indicateGERorNER)

N/A 41.8% 12.3% N/A

Responsible ministries

MinistryofEducation,Cultureand

Science(MECS)

MECS MECS MECSMECS,

MinistryofHealth(MOH)

Names of the workers

Nurseandteacher Teacher Teacher Mobileteacher NurseECD

specialist

Training and educational requirements

BAofmedicalscienceBAof

pedagogy

BAofpedagogy

BAofpedagogy BAofpedagogy

BAofmedicalscience,BAof

pedagogy

Management status (public,privateorpublicandprivate)

PublicPrivate PublicPrivate Public Community

basedPublicPrivate

Pre-school education services for EC

Theformsofpre-schooleducationestablishmentsarekindergartens,shelter-kindergartensandkindergartens-sanatoria.

Pre-schooleducationestablishmentsmaybeownedandoperatedprivatelyorpublicly.

15 Traditional dwelling

18

Thenurseriesandkindergartenshavebeenorganizedintoyoungerage,mid-age,seniorage,schoolpreparationandmixedclassestoprovideservicesinaccordancewithnationalpre-schooleducationstandards.

Kindergartensmakeup90percentofpre-schooleducationestablishmentsinMongolia.Onaverage,theyoperateeighthoursperday,fivedaysperweekfrom1Septemberuntil1June.Kindergartensprovidetrainingforspeechdevelopment,basicmathematicalabstractions,musicandsinging,physicaldevelopmentandfinearts.Inaddition,kindergartensconductexcursionsandhealthenhancementactivities.

Therearetwelvespecializedkindergartens-sanatoriainMongoliaconcentratedprimarilyinUlaanbaatar.Thesesanatoriaacceptchildrenoftheages2.5to6yearsoldwhoareunderweightordisabledandprovidethemduemedicalcareandhealthenhancementactivities.Theywork10hoursadayduringthesameacademicyearasstandardkindergartens.

Therearefivekindergartens-sheltersintheaimagcentersandUlaanbaatar.Theyacceptfullandhalf-orphanedchildrenfrommarginalisedgroupsandchildrenwithdisabilities.

Welfaregroupsinmainstreamkindergartensincludeyoungchildrenfrompoororvulnerablehouseholdsandarefinancedbytheaimag/metropolitanwelfarefunds.Childrenofpoorhouseholdsandofthosehouseholdswhoareunabletopaythefoodfeesareacceptedintothewelfaregroupsbasedontherequestsoftheparentsandletterfromthelocaladministration.TheSocialWelfareFundpays50percentofthefoodfeeforthewelfaregroupsandtheremaining50percentispaidbythestatebudget,asinthecaseofallotherchildren.

1.3 health SeRviCeS

Current situation

InMongolia,thechildandinfantmortalityratesdecreasedduringthelastfiveyearssignificantly.Iftheyear2005iscomparedwith2000,infantmortalitydecreasedby36percentfrom64to40per1000livebirths.Mortalityamongchildrenunder5yearsoldreducedby41percentfrom87to51per100016.

ThemostfrequentdiseasesaffectingchildreninMongoliaareasfollowsinorderofhighestincidence:(i)respiratorydiseases,(ii)diarrhea,(iii)prenataldiseasesrelatedtotheprocessofbirthanditscomplications,(iv)poisoningandinjuries,(v)contagiousdiseasesand(vi)skindiseases.Thedifferencesbetweenthehealthconditionsofchildrenunderfiveyearsoldincitiesandinthecountryfortheyear2005wasasfollowing:a)respiratorydiseasesare2.2timeshigherinprovince,(18.4percentinthecityand41.7percentinthecountry);diarrheais1.8timeshigher(4.7percentinthecityand8.5percentinthecountry);poisoningandinjuryare3.1timeslower(4.1percentinthecityand1.3percentinthecountry);contagiousdiseasesare1.3lower(2.5percentinthecityand1.9percentinthecountry);skindiseasesare1.2timeslower(3.2percentinthecityand2.6percentinthecountry)17.

Comparedwiththeyear2000,underweightinchildrenunder5yearsolddecreased2times,wastingdecreased6timesandstandingreducedby5percentintheyears2005and2006(Table3).

16 Child and Development 2005 survey (MICS-3). NSO, UNICEF. Ulaanbaatar 2007.17 Statistics of Ministry of Health. Ulaanbaatar 2006.

19

Table 3: Malnutrition in children under the age of five years old

Underweight Standing Wasting200018 12.5 24.6 3.7

200019 12.7 25.0 5.5

200520 6.7 19.6 0.6

200621 6.3 21.0 2.2

Legal environment

TheLawonHealthregulatesthegovernmentalpolicyandprinciplesonyoungchildren’shealthtogetherwiththerelationsconcerningthehealthandmedicalservices.ThehealthofmothersandchildrenareunderspecialcareandattentionofthestateinMongolia.Thegovernmentpaysforthemedicalaidandservicesdeliveredtomothersandchildrenthroughpublicagencies.

Institutions

ThehealthservicesysteminMongoliacomprisespublichealth,medicalaidservices,medicinesupply,medicalscienceeducational,andresearchandtrainingorganizationsofvariousformsofownership.

Medicalaidservicesfallintothreecategories:

Primarylevelservices:providedatcommunityclinics,soumandinter-soumhospitals.

Secondarylevelservices:providedbyaimag/districthealthcenters.

Tertiarylevelservices:providedbyclinicalandspecializedhospitals.

In2006,therewere15clinicsandspecializedhospitals,3regionaldiagnosticandtreatmentcenters,18aimaghealthcenters,9districthealthcenters,4ruralhealthcenters,34inter-soumhospitals,228soumhospitals,224communityclinicsand780privatehospitalsinMongolia.Therewere18,344hospitalplacesinMongoliaofwhich2,404areforchildren.

Budget and financing

Forthehealthsector,3to4percentofgrossdomesticproduct(equalto100to120billionMNT)erespentfromthenationalbudget.Annually,6billionMNThavebeenspentforpreventiveandpublichealthservicesandover50billionMNTformedicalaidservices.

Human resource

Thedoctorsandnursesservingyoungchildrenobtainhealthscienceeducationandarelicensedbythecentralizedgovernmentaladministrativeinstitutionresponsibleforthehealthissues.In2006,therewereover34,000doctorsworkinginthehealthsector.Amongthese,569werespecializeddoctors.

Health services for EC

Thecommunityclinicsprovideprimaryhealthservicestoyoungchildren.Primarymedicalservicesincludepreventive,immunisation,healthanddevelopmentmonitoring,healthynutritionandhealthylifestyledevelopmentactivities.

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18 Nutrition of the population report of the second National Survey on Nutrition. IPH, MOH, UNICEF. Ulaanbaatar 2000. 19 Child and Development 2000 survey (MICS). NSO, UNICEF. Ulaanbaatar 2001.20 Situation of Nutrition of Women and Children in Mongolia report of the third National Survey on Nutrition. IPH, MOH, UNICEF.

Ulaanbaatar 2006.21 Child and Development 2005 survey (MICS-3). NSO, UNICEF. Ulaanbaatar 2007.

20

Thesecondaryorspecialistmedicalservicesforyoungchildrenareprovidedatthechildren’sdepartmentsoftheaimag/districthospitalsandclinicsspecializedinpediatrics.

1.4 SoCial pRoteCtion foR yoUng ChildRen

Current situation

Inordertoimprovetheaccesstosocialwelfareservicesforyoungchildren,theGovernmentofMongoliaestablishedits“FundforChildren”todeliverthesocalled“ChildMoney”toeachchildundertheageof18yearsold.Thisactivitycovered845thousandchildrenattheendof2006.Theconditionsforreceivingthe“ChildMoney”wererefinedin2007todelivertoallchildrenlivingandbeingraisedintheirfamiliesaswellastochildrentemporarilyresidingoverseas.The17articlesoftheservicesdeliveredtochildrenwithdisabilitiesarebeingmergedinto6articlesofintegratedservices22.Thesechangesalsoinvolvedevelopmentofnewservicessuchasparticipationofparentsandguardiansintheprogrammesaimingtodeliverlegalandpsychologicalcounsellingtomembersofthevulnerablegroupsandtoimprovetheirlivelihood.

Legal environment

TheChildRightsProtectionActofMongoliaspecifiestheregulationrequirementsofsocialwelfareservices,allowances,grants,socialinsurancesforchildrenbythelawsandregulationsofMongolia.Thelawalsodefinedthescopeofservicesandagenciesinchargeofdeliveringtheseservicestochildreninemergencyandtochildrenindifficultcircumstances23.Bychildreninemergency,thislawunderstandschildrenaffectedbynaturaldisasters,epidemics,catastrophesandarmedconflicts.Thislawdefines“childrenindifficultcircumstances”toincludefullorphans,childrenwithdisabilities,streetchildren,childreninextremepoverty,sufferingphysicalandpsychologicaldamageduetosexabuseandhumiliationandchildrenengagedinworkhazardoustotheirlivesandhealth.TheLawonSocialWelfaredefinesconditionalmonetaryaidforsupportofthelivelihoodofthevulnerablegroups,aonce-a-yearmonetaryaidforpayingresidentialbillsorpurchasingfuel,discountsforattendingwelfarekindergartens,provisionofprostheses,orthopedicdevicesandwheelchairs,discountforrehabilitationservicesandtreatmentatdomesticsanatoria.

Institutions

ThedevelopmentandmonitoringofthechildprotectionpolicyarebornbytheMinistryofSocialWelfareandLabor.TheimplementationistheresponsibilityoftheLaborandWelfareAuthority,theCentralSocialInsuranceAuthorityandthelocalagencies.

Atthelocallevel,thechildprotectionpoliciesaretheresponsibilityofthegovernorsofthegivenadministrative levelswithintheiragreementswiththerespectiveMinister.Thesocialpolicydepartment,socialinsurancedepartment,andlabourandsocialwelfaredepartmentoftheaimag/metropolitanGovernor’sOfficeandbythesoum/horoosocialworkerswhocarryouttheimplementationandmonitoringofthepolicy.

Budget and financing

Thesocialwelfareandprotectionsectortakes18-20percentofthetotalnationalbudget.Thetotalspendingofthesocialwelfarefundwas74.5billionMNTin2006includingthespendingof29.6billionMNTforthe“ChildMoney”,0.18billionMNTforgrantsforadoptionofafullorphanorraisingtwinsand7.5billionMNTforgrantsforlookingafterachildorinfant.Thebudgetfor

22 Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act of Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar 2006.23 Child Rights Protection Act of Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar 1996.

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thesocialwelfarefundwillbe109.4billionMNTin2007,including46.5billionMNTbaby-sittingallowanceand62.7billionMNTfor“ChildMoney”.

Human resources

Experiencedprofessionalstaffwithsocialworkeducationwasemployedinthesocialwelfareserviceinstitutions.Thefunctionsofsocialwelfareserviceworkersincludedconductingquantitativesurveysandneedsidentificationsurveysoftheyoungchildrenofvulnerableandpoorhouseholds,identifyinghouseholdsandyoungchildrenthatareeligible toreceivesocialwelfaregrants,conditionalallowances,communitybasedwelfareandspecializedcareservices,referrals,providingadviceandtrainingandcollaboratingwithgovernmentalandnon-governmentalorganizations.

Social protection services for EC

Thesocialprotectionservicesforyoungchildrenaredeliveredintwoforms:servicesforchildrenindifficultcircumstancesandadoptionactivities.Theservicesdeliveredtochildrenindifficultcircumstancesaredividedintodiscount,aidandcommunitybasedcare.Althoughcommunity-basedcareserviceprovidersarerequiredtodevelopself-confidenceinparentswithyoungchildren,providetraining,workingskills,counselling,referral,inclusioninrehabilitationservices,temporarysheltering,andfamilycare,therealizationofthishasbeenfarfromperfect.

Adoptionofyoungchildreninvolvestheparticipationofmanysubjectssuchasparents,caretakers,localgovernors,socialwelfareserviceestablishments.

1.5 inteR-SeCtoRal CollaBoRation ConCeRning eaRly Childhood devlopemnet

TheimplementationoftheearlychildhoodrelatedpoliciesofthegovernmentisafunctionoftheMemberoftheGovernmentresponsiblefortheissuesofyouthandchildrenandtheNationalAuthorityforChildren(NAC).

TheimplementationofthegovernmentpoliciesonchildrenandthechildrightsprotectionlegislationisthefunctionoftheNAC.TheNationalAuthorityforChildrenalsomonitorstheactivitiesofthechilddevelopmentandprotectionagencies.

TheNationalCouncilforChildrenisresponsibleforimplementingchilddevelopmentandprotectionpolicies,managementofthenationalresourcesforprovidingadvice,coordination,monitoringtothegovernment,relatedpublicagencies,andensuringparticipationofthepeople.

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Figure 1: Interrelations within the system of Early Childhood Development Policy

Table 4: The system of social services for early childhood development

Age group Health service Pre-school education service Child protection service

0 - 2

Doctor’ssupervisionbeforeandafterbirth

Midwifery

Preventiveservices

Immunisation

Growthsupervision

Otherservices

Nursery(nurserygroup)

Nursery-sanatoriumandnursery-shelter

Conditionalgrantforexpectantandnursingmothers

Conditionalgrantforlookingafteradisabledperson

“ChildMoney”

Adoption

Specializedcareservice

3 - 7

Preventiveservice

Healthylifestyletraining

Other

Nursery(nurserygroup)

Mainstreamkindergarten

Kindergarten-sanatorium

Kindergarten-shelter

Alternativetraining

Communitybasedcare

Conditionalgrantforlookingafteradisabledperson

“ChildMoney”

SeCtion two. Review methodology

c“R

ainy

day

”T

.Mun

khsa

ruul

11

year

sol

d

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2.1 Sampling

The sampling for the review of the Integrated Early Childhood Development Policyimplementationwascarriedoutbyestimatingtheindicatorsoftheaccess,qualityandeffectivenessoftheeducation,healthandsocialprotectionservicesforyoungchildrenatthenationallevelforthecity,ruralareasandregions.

Sixregions—West,East,Central,Hangai,GobiandUlaanbaatar—weretakenasthesamplinggroupsandoneaimagfromeachregionand3districtsfromthecapitalwereselected.Theprimarysamplingwasbasedonthepopulationdensity,numberofyoungchildren,pre-schoolenrolmentrate,schooldropoutrate,andpovertyrate,frequencyofyoungchildren’sdiseasesandlocation,3soumswerepickedupfromeachaimag,and3horooswerepickedupfromeachdistrict.

Basingonthesoum/horooschool,kindergarten,communityclinic,and/orsoum/horooadministrationastheprimaryunitsforthesampling,theemployeesoftheseestablishmentswereinvolvedintheindividualinterviews.Theparentsofthetargetgroupsontheterritoriesoftheselectedhorooswereinvolvedinthetargetgroupdiscussionsbydividingintothosewhosechildrengotokindergartenandthosewhosechildrendonotgotokindergarten.

Basedonthesuggestionsofsomeoftheteacherswhoparticipatedintheindividualinterviews,teachers’targetgroupswereformedanddiscussionswereheld.

Themembersoftheadministrationandthestaffmembersoftheaimag/districtEducationandCultureCenters,SocialDevelopmentDepartments,HealthDepartments,SocialWelfareandServiceauthoritieswerechosenfortheindividualinterviews.

Withinthereview,groupdiscussionsandindividualinterviewswereheldwiththestaffoftheMinistryofEducation,CultureandScience,MinistryofSocialWelfareandLaborandMinistryofHealth.

2.2 inteRview and foCUS gRoUp diSCUSSion

ThedatafortheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewwerecollectedbyorganizingindividualinterviewsandtargetgroupdiscussions.ThequestionsfortheindividualinterviewsandgroupdiscussionsweredevelopedbasingontheguidelinesprovidedbyUNICEFandUNESCO.

ThequestionsoftheindividualinterviewsandthetargetgroupdiscussionsweretestedinapilotsurveyinBayangoldistrictofcityUlaanbaatar,InstituteofPublicHealth,andCollegeofPreschoolEducationtoexaminehowthequestionsareunderstandable,howmuchtimeisrequiredforasessionandwhetherthequestionshelpachievetheobjectivesofthereview.Basingontheresultofthepilotsurvey,thequestionsfortheindividualinterviewsandtargetgroupdiscussionswerefinalized.

2.2.1 Interview

Thequestionsfortheindividualdiscussionsweredevelopedwithoptionsdependingwhoarebeinginterviewed.Theparticipantsoftheindividualinterviewsweregroupedandcodedbytheirjobfunctionsandpositions.Forexample:

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InterviewCode01.

Staffofthedistrict/soum,aimag/metropolitanadministrations

Code02.

Staffofthesocialprotectioninstitutions

Code03.

Staffofhospitals,clinicsandhealthinstitutions

Code04.

Teachers,educatorsandsocialworkersoftheaimag/metropolitanEducationandCultureAuthorities,schoolsandkindergartens

Code05.

Non-governmentalorganizationsandprivatesectors,etc(SeeAnnex3fordetails).

Eachofthe5codesconsistedof5-6questionsrelatedtotheoccupationalfunctionsofthepersons being interviewed and aimed at collecting information on the access, quality andeffectivenessofthesocialservicesforyoungchildrenintheirsectors,locationsandorganizationsaswellasontheproblemsrelatedtoyoungchildrenandthewaysfortheirsolution.

2.2.2 Focus group discussions

Thequestionsforthefocusgroupdiscussionsweredesignedmainlyforparentswhoareinvolvedandnotinvolvedinthesocialservicesforyoungchildren.Thekeyquestionsforthetargetgroupdiscussionscomprisedgroupsofquestionsaimingatsurveyingtheaccess,qualityandeffectivenessoftheservicesandthepotentialsolutionsofexistingproblems.Thegroupdiscussionsarecommencedwithageneralquestioninordertofocustheattentionoftheparticipantsontheissue.Thegeneralquestionembracesinitselfarequestofinformationaboutpositivechangesintheeducation,healthandsocialprotectionservicesduringthelast3years.Thegroupdiscussionsintheruralareaswereorganizedwithgroupsofparentsandcaretakerswithchildrenupto6year-oldage,groupsofparentsandcaretakerswithchildrenupto18year-oldageandgroupsofparents-teacherswhothemselveshaveyoungchildrenandwhoworkwithyoungchildren.Thegroupdiscussionsusedparticipatoryapproachesandsoughttoensureequalparticipationoftheparticipants.

2.3 tRaining and data ColleCtion

TrainingforthemainandassistantresearchersofthereviewteamwasheldwithparticipationofMinistryofEducation,CultureandScience,UNICEFandCollegeofPreschoolEducationinFebruary-Aprilof2007andlastedfor8days.Theparticipantsweretaughtthereviewmethodologyandtheassistantresearcherstotakepartinthefieldworkwereselectedduringthetraining.

Ateamof3peopleworkedateachlocationselectedforthereviewtocollectthedata.Eachteamwasheadedbyamemberofthecorereviewteam.Intotal,6teamsworkedtocollectthedataforthereview.

Thedatafor theIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy implementationwerecollectedinApril-Juneof2007.ThestaffmembersoftheMinistryofEducation,CultureandScienceandUNICEFcooperatedwiththeteamsprovidingmonitoringoftheprogressandqualityofthedatacollection.Thereviewteammembersmetweeklyatthedatacollectionstageoftheprojectdiscussingandsharingexperienceontheprogressofthework,theactivitiesforthenextsteps,whatshouldbefocused,theproblemsencounteredandthewaysoftheirsolution.

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2.4 data pRoCeSSing

TheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyreviewdatawereprocessedusingSPSSsoftware.Thereviewdatawereanalyzedfortheaimag/districtandsoum/horoolevelsandtheresultswerecompiledandsummarized.ThereviewdataprocessingwasundertakeninJune-Augustof2007.

SeCtion thRee. findingS of the Review of the integRated

eaRly Childhood development poliCy implementation

c“H

olid

ay”

G.T

sere

ndor

j8y

ears

old

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3.1 integRated eaRly Childhood development poliCy

Inordertodevelopinter-sectoralcooperationforimprovementofyoungchildren’sgrowth,developmentandprotection,MECS,MSWLandMOHhavebegunjointlyimplementingtheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy,whichwasjointlyapprovedin2005.TheIECDPpaperaimstocoordinatethecentralgovernmentalinstitutionsresponsibleforinterrelatedissuesofhealth,nutrition,care,socialprotectionandeducationofyoungchildrenandtheirmothersandtoenhancetheseinstitutions’capacitiestomeettheneedsandrightsofchildrenundertheageofsevenyearsoldforhealthygrowth,education,development,protectionandparticipationinsociallife.

TheIECDPdefinesthefollowingstrategies:

i) allocatingfunctionstothecentralizedgovernmentalauthoritiesresponsibleforearlychildhooddevelopmentanddevelopingtheirmanagement;

ii) improvingthecorrelationsbetweenlocalsocialandeconomicfactorswithsocialandfamilyvaluesandbeliefsandofearlychildhooddevelopment;

iii) improvingthequalityandeffectivenessofsocialservicesforyoungchildren;

iv) ensuringequalaccesstosocialservicesformothersandchildrenfoundinvulnerableconditionsduetoregionalandfamilysituations,ordisabilities;

v) developingcommunityandprivatesectorparticipationtofacilitatethedevelopmentofmother-childdevelopment-orientedsocialservices.

The general objectives and activities were defined within these strategic components.Implementationofthestrategicobjectivesandactivitieswillleadtoimprovedaccess,qualityandeffectivenessofthesocialservicesdeliveredtochildren.Theimpactoftheurban-ruraldifferenceinthelevelofdevelopmentonchildren’shealth,educationandsocialprotectionserviceswilldecrease.Thefamilyenvironmentwillenjoybetterskillsandresponsibilitiesofparentsandrelationssupportivetotherightsofwomen.Theseoutcomesshouldcreatemanypositivetendenciesinthesociety.

Thequantitativeandqualitativeindicatorsoftheimplementationofthispolicyhavebeendefined:

Qualitativeindicators:

Integratedmanagement,policy,legalenvironmentandoperationalsupportofsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren;

Developmentoftheoperationsandimpactsofsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren;

Enhanceduseofinformationtechnologyinthesocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren;

Conditionsforreliable,risk-freedevelopmentofsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren;

Supportgiventochildrenfrompoorandlow-incomefamiliestoaccesssocialservices;

Supportgiventochildrenwithdisabilities;

Participationofherders’childreninsocialservices;

Developmentof systems formonitoringandanalyzingpolicy implementationandforidentifyingfuturedevelopmentobjectives;

Governmentandcommunityparticipationinsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren.

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Quantitativeindicators:

Thenumberofchildrencoveredbyeachoftheformsofsocialservicesforyoungchildren;

Totalexpenditureforsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren

Per-childexpenditureforsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren;

Thesizeofhumanresources,includingthenumberofpersonneltrainedineachformofsocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildren;

The number of services created at the initiatives of individuals, communities andorganizations.

3.2 the implementation of the integRated eaRly Childhood development poliCy

Integrated management, policy, legal environment and operational support of social services delivered to young children

Mostofthegovernorsandheadsofgovernors’offices(70percent)hadnospecificknowledgeoftheIECDP.TheofficialsoftheregionsinvolvedintheIntegratedBasicSocialServicesprojectofUNICEFwereinformedabouttheIECDP,buttheleadersoftheotherregionsknewonlyaboutothergovernmentalprogrammesandthelocalgovernors’electionplatform.NoarticlehasreflectedtheIECDPactivityintheoutputagreementsoftheMinistriesconcludedwiththegovernors.

“Improvement of the housing conditions, providing electricity, developing roads and creating jobs are all activities being carried out for young children, as I understand.”

Governor, aimag-level

AstheIECDPhasbeenimplementedthroughthelocalgovernmentauthorities,anintegratedcoordinationofthefunctionsoftherelatedinstitutionsisneeded.Primaryinstitutionsforsocialserviceshavebeencooperatinginsomeactivities,butnottotheextentoutlinedintheIECDP.

Theactivities intheareaof improvementof thequalityofhealth,educationandsocialprotectionservicesforyoungchildrenvariedattheaimagandmetropolitanlevels.Whileaimag-levelinitiativeshavefocusedonimprovingthehealthconditionsofyoungchildrenbysupportingqualityfoodprovisions,Songino-HairhanDistricthasfocusedonimprovementoftheeducationservices,especiallyoncreatingfavorableconditionsforenrolmentofmarginalisedchildren.

Somegovernors(12%)havedevelopedworkplansforimplementationoftheIECDP.However,theprogresstowardsachievingtheirresultshasbeenlimited.Themostcommonlycitedconstrainttoimplementationwastheinadequateleveloffinancialresources.Thesuccessofhealth,educationandsocialprotectionactivitiesinruralareasdependedonhowmuchfundswereapprovedforhealth,educationandsocialprotection.Loweconomiccapacityinthelocaladministrativeunitsnegativelyaffectedinvestmentinanddevelopmentoflocalinitiatives.Thelevelofpotentialinvestmentlocallyhasbeenverylow,furtherinhibitedbyalackofinitiativesandincentivesforadditionalinvestmentanddevelopment.

The process and results of the social services provided to young children

SincetheinceptionoftheIECDP,thepre-schooleducationenrolmentrateincreasedandthecareofparentsfortheirchildrenimprovedintheaimags,soumsanddistrictscoveredbythe

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•

30

review.However,thedirectandindirectimpactsoftheintegratedpolicyareuneasytodetermine.Intheaimagsincludedinthereview,only36-40percentofpre-schoolagechildrenareenrolledinthekindergartensandthealternativetraininghascovered8-10percentofthechildrenofthatage.Thus,44-50%ofallofthechildreninthoseaimagshavehadaccesstopre-schooleducation.

Figure 2: Preschool enrollment by aimags

Thelocaladministrationshavebeenworkingtoimprovetheheating,trainingmaterials,equipmentandfurnitureintheschoolsandkindergartens.Forexample,throughtheSustainableLivelihoodsProgramme,donororganizationsandindividualsinUmnugobi,UvsandBayanhongoraimags,thepre-schoollearningenvironmenthasbeenimprovedandopportunitiesformobileandger-kindergartenshaveincreased.

Withintheactivitiesforprotectionofthehealthofmothersandchildren,theyworkforearlyidentificationofpregnancies,improvementofthehealthconditionsofthemothersandmidwiferyinhospitals,togetherwithfourhomevisitsinthefirstmonthofnewbornsandmonthlyvisitsduringthefirsttwoyearsafterbirth.Theimmunisation,healtheducationandnutritiontrainingsorganizedbylocalhealthandeducationagencieshavebeenimportantforpreventionofchildren’sdiseases.Inaddition,trainingonbreastfeedingandoralhygienehasbeenorganizedforparentsandyoungchildren.

During the implementationof theIECDP,thematernalandchildmortality rateshavedecreased,butthisindicatorstillvariedwidelybylocations(SeeFigure3andFigure4).

31

Figure 3: Maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 live births) by region

Figure 4: Mortality rate of children under five years old (1,000 live births) by region

Conditions for reliable, risk-free development of social services delivered to young children

Surveysindicatedthatthesocialservice-relatedrisksofparentswereasfollows:

Limitedopportunitiesforyoungchildrentoenrolinkindergartensduetoinsufficientcapacityofthekindergartens;

Nurseryservicesforchildrenunder3yearsoldshouldbeexpanded;

Insufficientsupplyofspecializedpersonneltoprovideservicestochildrenwithdisabilities;

Insufficientqualityofthealternativeformsoftrainingforyoungchildren;

Lowquality,caloriccontentandavailabilityoffoodforpreschoolchildren;

Exorbitantcostofmedicines,treatmentandequipmentforyoungchildren.Subsidizedmedicinesfromthegovernmentnotreadilyavailable;

Limitedavailabilityofprofessionalpediatriciansintheprimarylevelclinics;

Theenvironmentaroundchildrenisdangerous;abuseandviolenceagainstchildrenareevident.

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Accordingtothemedicalworkersengagedinthesurvey,observanceofthestandardsonhealthservicesforyoungchildrenhasdependedonequipmentandmaterialsupply,capacitiesofthemedicalpersonnelandotherfactors.MOHprovideddiagnosticandimmunizationequipmenttothesoumclinicsinUvs,BayanhongorandUmnugobiaimags.Theequipmentintheotheraimagsandsoumsinvolvedintheresearchwereoutdatedandnolongerfitforusage.Thisisoneofthemainfactorsaffectingtheobservanceofthehealthservicestandards.Thesoumclinicshavefacedanendemicshortageofprofessionalpersonnel.Theissuesofspecializationinpediatrics,updatingthequalificationsoftheexistingpediatriciansandpreparationofthenextgenerationofthepediatriciansremainedunsolved.

Asthelocalmedicalandadministrativestaffmembersindicated,theprovisionofthe“ChildMoney”bythegovernmenthasledtoaquantitativeincreaseinthebirthratebuthasalsonegativelyaffectedthequalityofthesebirths.Theprobabilityofbirthsbywomenofvulnerablegroupsandgroupswithhighriskshasincreased.

“In our soum, poor women are frequently giving birth in order to receive the money. Especially it is worrying that many women above the age of 45 years with chronic diseases are giving birth.”

Doctor, soum clinic

Thenumberofchildrenleftbytheirparentsinfamilieshasbeenincreasingamongstmarginalisedgroups.Womenwhoemigratetoworkinartesianminesorseekotheremploymentleavetheiryoungchildrenwithrelativesorfriendsformanymonths.

Parentswhoparticipatedinthissurveywerecriticalaboutthefoodandnutritionforyoungchildren,butdoctorsandmedicalstaffhavementionedthatmuchworkhasbeenundertakeninthisarea.AProgressbookismaintainedforeachchildundertheageoftwoyearsoldanddoctor’svisitsareconductedonamonthlybasis.Additionalnutritionandvitaminsaregiventochildrenwithretardationofdevelopment,andmalnutritionandtrainingonnutritionisorganizedfortheirparents.

Amongthefactorsnegativelyaffectingtheattemptstoimprovethesocialservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildrenwerelistedunderdevelopedinfrastructure,naturaldisasters,poverty,unemployment,migration,alcoholism,divorces,etc,butthesituationvariedbetweenaimags,soumsanddistricts.Thereductionofthecentralizedheatingperiodinthekindergartensandchildren’shospitalsincreasedmorbidityamongchildren.Moreover,theincreasedconcentrationofpopulationincitiesandsettlementshasincreasedpovertyandunemployment,limitingaccesstosocialservices.Simultaneously,theunderdevelopmentofroadsandenergyintheremoteareastogetherwiththedepletionofthepopulationhasalsodecreasedtheaccessibility,qualityandeffectivenessofservicesforyoungchildren.

Support given to children from poor and low-income families to access social services

Theinabilityofparentstopayfoodfeesandtopurchaseschoolsuppliesanduniformsnegativelyaffectedthissituation.Theaimag,districtandsoumwelfarefundsweretakingmeasurestopaythefoodfeesontheirbehalf.Someaimagsoperatedchildren’snutritionsanatoriaandtreatedchildrenfrompoorandlow-incomehouseholds.

Provisionofemploymenttotheparentsandcaretakershasbeenoneoftheconditionssupportingearlychildhooddevelopment.Therearebeginningsofworkinthisareaatthelocallevel.

33

Atthelocallevel,relativesandgrandparentshaveusuallyadoptedfullandhalf-orphanchildren.InMongolia,thereisalsoapracticeinwhichchildlesscouplesadoptthechildrenoftheirrelatives,especiallychildrenofyoungerrelativeswhowerebornoutofwedlock.

Nationalandinternationalorganizations,suchasWorldVisionInternational(WVI),andindividualshavestartedinitiativestoimprovetheaccessibilityandqualityofsocialservicesforyoungchildren.Forexample,WVIhasbeenimplementingprojectssupportinghealthofyoungchildreninUlaanbaatarandselectedaimagcentressince2005.

Support given to children with disabilities

Trainingofchildrenwithdisabilitiesrequiresspecificapproachestailoredtothespecialconditionsofeachchild.Childrenwithsevereformsofdisabilityrequireextensivecare.In2006,changesintheconditionsforcoverageofchildrenwithdisabilitiesinthewelfareallowanceshadanegativeeffectonmanychildren.

“Of the 62 children with disabilities under the age of six years old in our aimag, 30 percent have cerebral false. These children have mild or severe forms of disability, and parents groups are operating to assist the parents of these children. Teaching them the methods of care and development of children with disabilities is giving good results.”

Doctor, rehabilitation center, aimag center

Atthelocallevel,theprovisionofprostheses,orthopedicandotherdevicestochildrenwithdisabilitiesandtheissueofinvolvingthemintreatmentsremainedunsolved.Thissituationhasledtoafailureinrealizationoftherightsofchildrenwithdisabilities.

Although teachersworkingwithchildrenwithdisabilitiesarebeing further trained, thepossibilitiestoincludechildrenwithdisabilitiesamongtheirpeergroupsarelimited.Thematerialandpsychologicalenvironmentsfordevelopmentofchildrenwithdisabilitiesatkindergartensisparticularlyinadequate.

“The pre-school enrolment rate is between 40 and 50 percent in our aimag. The pre-school enrolment rate of healthy children is much higher than that of children with disabilities. The pre-school enrolment rate should be further increased by developing forms of training adapted to the needs of poor children and children with disabilities while fully exempting children of poor households from the food fees.”

Officer, aimag government administration

Participation of herders’ children in all forms of the social services

Alternativeformsoftraining,suchasmobileteachers,mobilekindergartensandsummerkindergartens,havebeenorganizedinordertoinvolveherders’childreninpre-schooleducation.Nevertheless,accordingtotheparticipants,theaccessandqualityofthesocialservicesremainedinadequateforherders’childrenandchildrenwithdisabilitiestobenefit.Althoughherdershavebeeninterestedtoincludetheirchildreninpre-schooleducation,insufficientaccess(lowcapacityofkindergartens)andlimiteddormitoryoptionsinthesoumcentreshaverestrictedpre-schooleducationenrolment.

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”Herder households leave their 5-6 year old children with their friends or relatives in the soum centre to involve them in kindergartens. These little children miss their parents, but it is beneficial that they are covered by the pre-school education service.”

Parent, soum-level

SeCtion foUR. pReSChool edUCation SeRviCeS

c“G

irls

”G

.Buy

ande

lger

9y

ears

old

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4.1 the aCCeSSiBility, QUality and effeCtiveneSS of pRe-SChool edUCation

Theaccess,qualityandeffectivenessofpre-schooleducationwereassessedbasedonthestatisticdataandindividualinterviewswithintheearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicyreview.

4.1.1 Access to pre-school education

Theaccessofyoungchildrentopre-schooleducationindicatedwhethertheservicereachesthetargetgroupsandwhetherthoseservicesareaccessibleforyoungchildren.Toincreasetheaccessibilitytopre-schooleducation,thecapacitiesofnurseriesandkindergartensarebeingincreasedandalternativeformsoftrainingarebeingintroduced.Thepublickindergartensaremobilizingtheirfullcapacitiesandorganizingalternativeformsoftrainingattheaimagandsoumlevels.

Thereviewhasshownthatalternativeformsofpre-schooltraininghelpincreasetheoverallenrolmentrate,buttheirqualityandeffectivenessareinsufficient.Besidesthepositiveaspectsofthealternativetraining,suchassocialisationofchildrenintheirpeergroupandpreparationforschool,manyshortcomingsneedtobeaddressed.Theabsenceofdocumentationstandards,includingtherequirements,proceduresandcurriculumforthealternativeformsoftraining,theyhasmadeitdifficulttocomparethequalityofalternativeformsofpreschooleducationwiththenationalstandard.

Thecapacitiesofpre-schooleducationalestablishmentshavebeenincreasingby1,000childreneachyearthroughthebuildingnewkindergartenswiththegovernmentalbudgetandinternationalfinancialsupport,butatthisrate30-50yearswillberequiredtoachieveanenrolmentrateof100percent.

Thekindergartensofsomeofthesoumsincludedinthereviewwerenotworkingattheirfullcapacitiesduetothehighincidenceofemigrationtothecitiesandlargersettlements.Forexample,SergelensoumoftheTuvaimagislocatedjustfourteenkilometersfromtheaimagcentre.Mostofthesoumpopulationhasmigratedtotheaimagcentre(what%?),andthenumberofchildreninthesoumkindergartenhasfallensharply.Atthetimeofthissurvey,therewereonlytwentychildrenattendingthekindergarten,whichhasthecapacitytoaccept90children.AsimilarsituationwasfoundinHanhongorsoumofUmnugobiaimag.

Thefree-of-chargeissuanceofbirthcertificatesandtheprovisionofthemonetaryallowancetoallchildrenhavefacilitatedtheinclusionofchildrenfromvulnerablehouseholdsinpreschooleducation.Thekindergartenfoodfeesofvulnerablechildrenwerealsopaidbythesocialwelfarefund.However,theseconditionswerestill insufficientfor inclusionofeveryyoungchildofvulnerablegroupsinpre-schooleducation.Inthe2006-2007academicyear,sixpercentofchildreninkindergartensreceivedaidfromthesocialwelfarefund.

Youngchildrenintheoutskirtsofcitiesandtownsandinthe“newsettlements”,wheregold,coaland/orsparareextractedbyhand,havebeenunabletoaccesspre-schooleducation.Theprimarycauseofthishasbeenthetotallackofpreschooleducationestablishmentsandthelowcapacityofexistingkindergartens.Complicatingmattersfurther,someofthe“settlements”ofartesianminershavenoofficialgovernmentaladministration.

Thereviewalsorevealedthatpre-schooleducationservicesforchildrenunderageofthreeyearsoldwereunabletoassistparentstofindemploymentopportunities.Thoughthegovernment

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promotesbreast-feedingofchildrenundertheageoftwoyearsold,mostparentsleavetheirchildreninnurseriesandkindergartensinordertowork.Thishasbeencloselyrelatedtothefamilybudgetandcareeropportunitiesoftheparents.

“If I sit at home for two years looking after my child, I will certainly lose my job.”

Parent, soum-level

Atthesametime,manymotherslackedtheknowledgeandexperienceinraisingchildrenundertheageofthreeyearsold.

“Children under the age of three years old are left out of consideration. It is important to focus on the education and up-bringing of these children below at all levels. It is especially common among parents to lack adequate experience and responsibility in raising their children.”

Officer, Department of Social Development

4.1.2 Quality of pre-school education

Thequalityofpre-schooleducationservicesforyoungchildrenisdeterminedbywhetherthepre-schooleducationstandard,programme,learningaids,teachingstaff,humanresources,learningenvironmentmeetthenationalstandardsandothersocialneedsofthecommunity.TheIECDPemphasizesthetargetsofdevelopmentandimplementationofthepre-schooleducationstandard,improvementofthelearningenvironment,includingthesupplyoftoysandtrainingmaterials,buildingthecapacityoftheteachingpersonnelandchangingthepublicattitudetowardschildviolenceinallsettings,includingthefamilyenvironment.Thepre-schooleducationmethodology,contentandtechnologyhavebeendevelopedtomeettheneedsanddemandsofsociety.Anewpre-schooleducationstandardwasdevelopedin2004,anditsimplementationhasbeenorganizedbythelocaladministrativeunits.However,accordingtokindergartenteachers,parentsandofficials,thisprocesshasbeenslowandvariedbylocation.

”Every year, in cooperation with the Aimag Authority for Education and Culture, we work in the soums to conduct monitoring of the daily work of kindergartens and organize an in-service training to upgrade the qualification of the teachers. As a result, the implementation of the pre-school education and primary education standards has been improving in the course of the last few years.”

Officer, Aimag Government Administration

“The teachers of our soum kindergarten have not attended any training for qualification enhancement. The training in our soum kindergarten is inadequate. The children are not learning anything new.”

Parent, aimag center

Theissueofthequalityofpre-schooleducationhasbeenconsideredwithintheframeworkofmainstreamkindergartens,whiletheissueofthequalityofalternativeformsoftrainingshallnotbeleftout.Therewerenoofficialguidelinesandprocedurestospecifywhatformsofalternativetrainingshouldbeorganized,how,bywhom,forwhatduration,whereandforwhatagegroupofchildren.Thissituationhasalsonegativelyaffectedthequalityofalternativetraining.Thecontentandcurriculaofalternativepre-schooltraininghavebeenad-hoc,astheconceptitselfhasbeen

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treatedasashadowofthemainstreampreschooleducationsystem.Theshiftclasses,part-timeclassesandmobilekindergartenshavebeenconsideredasformsofalternativetraining.However,itisunclearwhatindicatorsshouldbeusedtoassessthemandwhethertheycanbemutuallycompared,astherequirementstobeimposedonthemisunspecified.

Surveyparticipantsgavesub-standardevaluationsfortheorganization,budgetallocation,trainingmaterials,teachingstaffandenvironmentofpreschooleducationestablishments.Thishasindicatedaneedtoincludequalitativeindicatorstogetherwiththequantitativeenrolmentrate.

Theethicsandattitudetowardstheirjobsbytheteacherswasalsoaninfluencingfactor.Allparticipantsofthestudypointedoutthatbesidestrainingoftheteachersonpre-schooleducationstandardsandcurriculum,thenewapproachesneededtobedevelopedintheteachersthemselves.

“It seems that most of the teachers are still working in the old style. However, the nowadays teachers hardly have the child-loving attitude.”

Director, soum-level kindergarten

Theenvironmentofthekindergartenhasalsoaffectedthequalityofpre-schooleducation.Amongthoseinvolvedinthisstudy,therewereveryfewkindergartensthathavehadtheirbuildingsrefurbishedortheirtoysreplaced.

Thequalityoffoodservedinpreschooleducationestablishmentsvariedwidely,asdidtheapproachestoimprovingthenutritionofpreschoolchildren.Inordertoimprovethequalityofthefood,trainingshavebeenorganizedforthecooks.Somekindergartenshaveorganizedpublicexhibitionsvariousmealforchildrenandfoodmonitoringgroupsofparents.Methodologicaladviceforimprovingyoungchildren’snutritionhasbeenprovidedbyprofessionalorganizationssuchasnutritioncenterandchildnutritioncarecenters.

“A children’s sanatorium is working in Zuunmod soum. The centre serves 100 children, 70 of whom are from marginalised groups of the population. The centre was established to improve and strengthen the health of the children by giving them more nutritional food. The organization of a survey of the children’s growth and development together with training on improvement of the calories in food under the initiative of the centre’s teachers and doctors indicates a new approach towards early childhood development.”

Director, Children’s sanatorium centre

Atthesametime,somekindergartensprovidedverylimiteddiversityinmeals,servingonlywheatflour,meatandriceunderthepretextthatthefoodfeewastoolow.

”Each child in our kindergarten eats meals at a cost of 450-550 MNT. With this money, it is impossible to buy anything but meat, flour and rice. We cannot even afford to buy vegetables. We cannot claim to be providing nutritional food for the children. Without increasing the food fee, any improvement of the nutrition is impossible, and children will continue to feel hungry at the kindergarten.

Cook, soum-level kindergarten

Theparentsalsoindicatedthatthequalityandquantityofthemealsatkindergartenswasinsufficient.

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“My child always comes back from the kindergarten hungry. I do not know what they give the children at the kindergarten. Nevertheless, we do pay the food fee monthly. We should feed the child well at home; otherwise, it is impossible to attend kindergarten...”

Parent, soum level

4.1.3 The effectiveness of pre-school education

Theindicatorsfortheeffectivenessarethepositivechangesinthelivesofyoungchildrenandintheattitudesofthosewhohavereceivedsocialservices.Anychangesinthecapacities,resourcesandqualitiesoftheagenciesprovidingsocialservicearealsoimportantindicators.

Theparticipantsofthereviewrecognisedtheincreaseinthepre-schoolenrolmentrate,buttheystressedthefailuresinquality.Theydoubtedwhetherthealternativetraining,whichconstitutes12.3percentofpre-schooleducation,hasreallydeliveredqualitativegainsinthedevelopmentofthechildren.

Therearebeginningsofinclusionofchildrenwithdisabilitiesinpre-schooleducation.Althoughsocietyasawholehasrecognizedtheneedforinclusiveeducationforchildrenwithdisabilities,onlyafewkindergartenshavebeeninvolvingchildrenwithmildformsofdisabilities,constitutinglessthanonepercentofallchildrenenrolledinpreschool.

Thereviewhasdemonstratedtheurgencyofsupportofdevelopmentofchildrenwithdisabilitiesandprovisionofeducationtothem.Educationserviceshavebeeninaccessibleforchildrenwithsevereformsofdisabilities,andtheirparentsandfamilies.WiththeexceptionofKindergarten#10inUlaanbaatar,preschooleducationestablishmentsdonotprovideeducationalanddevelopmentalservicesforchildrenwithdisabilities.

Despitethelegalenvironmentforchildcherishingrelationsineducationalandfamilysettings,itisfartooearlytoassesstherealizationofthelawinpractice.

Thesurveyalsopinpointedthelackofprofessionalstaffinruralareastoworkwithyoungchildren.Itisnecessarytoprepareandfurthertrainteacherstoorganizealternativeformsoftrainingandtoworkwithchildrenwithdisabilities.

Governmentalspendingonpre-schooleducationhasbeenincreasing.Thispositivelyinfluencesdevelopmentofthepre-schooleducationsectorandearlychildhooddevelopment.

Therecentyears’growthofthepre-schoolenrolmentrateandimprovementofthekindergartenenvironmenthavehelpedreducemortalityandmalnutritionamongyoungchildren.

4.1.4 Inter-sectoral regulations

TheIECDPformulatedasetoftargetstowardsachieveacross-agency,inter-sectoralregulatoryenvironmentforpreschooleducationestablishments.Thesetargetsincludedmaintainingapolicycoordinationcouncilatthenationalandlocallevels,cooperationofstakeholdersinabaselinestudyofsocialservices,compilationofacentralizeddatabaseandannualdiscussionsoftheIECDPimplementationattherelevantministries.

Thecooperationbetweenthesesocialserviceorganizationshasbeenexpandingatthelocallevels.Forinstance,thecommunityclinicshavebeenorganizingawiderangeofactivities:theycooperatedwithlocalkindergartenstoprovideadviceandtrainingstoparentsofyoungchildrenwithmalnutritionandtoteachyoungchildrenbasichygenicalpractices.Inaddition,theycooperatewithlocalsocialwelfareagenciestoinvolveyoungchildreninsanatoria,treatmentsandkindergartens-

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sanatoria.Althougheachchildenrollinginkindergartenisrequiredatthebeginningoftheacademicyeartoundergoamedicalexamination,thelegalenvironmentandbudgetarysupporthavebeenlackingforthisinitiative.

ManyaimagsbranchcouncilsfortheIECDPhavebeeninactive,failingtoplanorbudgetforanyactivities.

Theparticipationandsupportofprivateandnon-governmentalorganizationshavealsobeenimportantincomplementingthegovernment’sprovisionofsocialservicestoyoungchildren.Privateandnon-governmentalorganizationshaveincreasinglyshowninterestsince2005inprovidingsocialservicestoyoungchildreninUlaanbaatarandothermajorsettlements.Thishascreatedfavorableconditionsforreducingthestressongovernmentandimprovingthequalityofeducation.

4.2 the ReSponSiBility of familieS with yoUng ChildRen

ThelevelofresponsibilityofthegovernmentinMongoliaisstillasprofoundasitwasduringthesocialistperiodandthisresponsibilityofthegovernmentremains.Thissituationislikelytocontinueinthemediumterm.Thisisrelatedtothenationaltraditionoftreasuringchildrenandthecurrentlegalenvironment.

Thefollowingtabledemonstratestheconceptofthegovernmentbeingfullyresponsibleforearlychildhooddevelopment,comparingtheviewsofthestaffofalocalsocialserviceagencyandofparents.

Table 5: Summary of group discussions on pre-school education services

Staff of a local social service agency ParentsMaketheagegroupsforthePre-SchoolEducationStandardclear Stopchangingthecurriculumsofrequently

Increasethemoneyforpurchasingkindergartenequipment,toolsandtoysinthebudget

Thequantityoftoysisinsufficientandthebudgetisalsoinsufficient

Increasethesalaryofkindergartenteachers Eliminatetheurbanandruraldifferencesbetweenthekindergartens

IncreasethefoodfeefromMNT300toMNT3000 Improvethecaloriesandqualityofthekindergartenmeal

Employaprofessionalmethodologistateverykindergartenandatthesametimereducethestaffofthestorekeeperoraccountant

Improvethecapacityoftheteachingstaff

Improvethesocialconditionsofthekindergartenteachers Providegersorpremisesforkindergartenstoincreasetheaccessfortheherders’children

Bothgroupsmentionedtheneedtoimprovethequalityandaccessofpre-schooleducation,butnoneofthemofferedanyideasaboutinvolvingthefamilymoreinearlychildhooddevelopment.Inmanycountries,theparticipationoftheprivatesector,communityandindividualsisregardedasawaytoimprovethequalityandeffectivenessoftheservicesdeliveredbythegovernment.Whengovernmentalserviceagencieshandlethebasicchilddevelopmentissues,moreresourcesarededicatedtotheservices,thequalityimprovesandtheworkloaddecreases.

Interestinglytheruralparticipantsmentionedthattheparentshaveasignificantroleintheearlychildhooddevelopment,whiletheUlaanbaatarparticipantsdidnotstressmuchontheparentalduties.

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Thepiediagramexercisesshowedthattheparentsidentifyshops,religiousorganizationsandinternationalaidorganizationsasbeingmoreinfluentialthangovernmentalserviceinstitutionsandparents.

4.3 aChievementS in pRe-SChool edUCation

Local kindergartens work proactively to increase pre-school enrolment rate.

Sincethefirstger-kindergartenswereintroducedin1998,considerableexperiencehasbeenaccumulated.Thiswasthebeginningofprovisionofpre-schooleducationservicestoyoungchildrenthroughanenvironmentotherthanthemainstream.Thealternativetraininghasplayedanimportantroleintheinclusionofmarginalisedchildrenandherders’childrenfromremoteareasinpre-schooleducation,preparingthemforschoolandenhancingtheparticipationofparentsinpre-schooleducation.Pre-schooleducationestablishmentsandteachershaveactivelyworkedtoincreasethepre-schoolenrolmentrate.Thesupportofinternationalorganizationsandofprivateentitiesplayedanimportantpartintheincreaseofthepre-schoolenrolmentrate.Theseorganizationsfundthetrainingpremises,mealsforchildren,trainingsuppliesandtransportationinconnectionwithalternativetrainings.

Alternativeformsoftrainingimprovetheknowledgeofyoungchildren,enablingthemtoadvanceintoprimaryschool.Theparentswhotookpartintheresearchpointedoutthatpre-schooleducationenhanceschildren’scommunicationskills,speechandintellectualcapacities.

Systematicpreparationofteachersforalternativetrainingneedstobeorganizedlocally,regionallyandnationally.TheMECSshouldpreparecurricula for summerand temporarykindergartensandtoissuehandbooks.

The social welfare fund support plays an important part in inclusion of marginalised and disabled children in pre-school education.

Thepaymentofthefoodfeesfromthesocialwelfarefundandfromthegovernor’sbudgetinsomeareascreatedfavorableconditionsforinclusionofmarginalisedanddisabledchildreninkindergartens.

Kindergartens provided education to children from marginalised groups and childrenwithdisabilitiestogetherwithmainstreamchildren.Thisenabledthevulnerableanddisabledyoungchildrenandtheirfamiliestosocialise,developinthecommunityandtoachievemutualunderstanding.Improvementoftheskillsofteachersandassistantteachersandstreamliningtheirworkloadswillbeinstrumentalforfurtherinclusionofchildrenwithdisabilitiesinmainstreamclasses.

4.4 pReSSing iSSUeS of pRe-SChool edUCation

Insufficient legal environment, budgeting and information for stakeholders at the local level.

Thetraditionalcooperationbetweenthesocialserviceagenciesremainedatthepreviouslevelwithoutanyexpansionordevelopment.TheIECDPfailedtodefineindetailthewaysofmaintainingtheintegrityofthehealth,educationandsocialprotectionservices.

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“We know of the IECDP. Nevertheless, the objectives of this policy are not fully achieved because they failed to develop the implementation structure and the ways for implementation. Besides, they forgot to perform a promotion of the policy.”

Officer, Department for social development

Thestakeholdershavebegununderstandingtheimportanceofcooperation,buttheylackknowledge,skillsandexperiencefordevelopingcooperation.Thereisnotrainingoncooperationskillsandcooperationmethodologyforthestakeholders.

“There are possibilities for cooperation of the social protection, education and health sectors. The main problem is that they are unable to share information. There are many programmes like the Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy and so on, but personally, I do not understand them. People never read the new and former policy papers. Many of these policies and programmes overlap in their content. I cannot see the differences between the Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy and the Child Development and Protection 2010 Programme. They need not have wasted so much time and resources writing so many policies or programmes, after all the same person in the aimag handles them all. Frankly, all these policies and programmes become only paper declarations. These are just official-sounding words on paper. Hardly anyone reads them.

Officer, soum governor’s administration

TheIECDPhasnotbeenwell linkedtothelegaldocumentsthatarecurrentlyinforce.Therefore,ithasbeenimpossibletodefineandimplementaninter-sectoralpolicyatlocallevels.

“Following up the Integrated Policy enactment, we have promoted it to our divisions. The policy objectives are reflected in the annual aimag plans. There is no specially planned activity to implement the joint resolutions of the 3 ministers.

Officer, Department for social development

A favorable environment for pre-school education services for young children has not evolved.

Thebuildingsofmostpre-schooleducationorganizationsareoldandindisrepairandthesupplyofnecessaryequipment,sparepartsandmaterialstodosoisinsufficient.Theproblemsofqualifiedteachersandassistantteachersremainunsolved.Allsurveyparticipantsinsistedthatteachersliveandworkinpoorsocialconditionswithlowsalaries(only10percentabovethepovertyline?).In-servicetrainingstoimprovetheprofessionalandcommunicationskillsofteachersandotherstaffneedtobescaledup.

Implementation of the IECDP is still not linked with the national budgeting and investment processes.

NospecialfundswereallocatedfromthenationalandlocalbudgetsfortheimplementationoftheIECDPasitwasplannedtoberealizedwithintheroutineworkin2006-2007.Thebudgetofthepre-schooleducationestablishmentshavebeendistributedbasedonthecurrentexpenditures.Inareaswithhighmigrationrates,thebudgethasnotbeensufficientforthedeliveryofservices.AdditionalregulationsarenecessarytomoreeffectivelyimplementtheIECDP.

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TheMinistryofFinancereducedthebudgetallocationthatshouldbemadeinaccordancetothethree-yearbusinessplansofthepre-schooleducationagencies.Therewasnoincentivemechanismformobilizationofresourcesotherthanthenationalandlocalbudgetsfordeliveringsocialservices.

The attitude of parents towards early childhood development is changing slowly.

Raisingyoungchildren,providingthemappropriatenutrition,protectingandimprovingtheirhealth,preventingthemfrominjuriesandgivingthemeducationareallimportantdevelopmentissues.Therefore,itiscrucialtosupporttrainingoftheparentsandcaretakersofyoungchildrentodeveloptheseskillsandcapacitiesinthem.

“The number of children per household has decreased in recent years. Now parents focus on their children’s development more, but they have insufficient knowledge and experience in developing their children. Young parents in particular have had no experience in raising children. It is very unclear where they should seek the necessary information and who should provide this information. Only they are able to get some sporadic information on TV.”

Governor, aimag level

The negative social attitudes towards children with disabilities still have not changed.

Mongolianeducationlawsaysthatchildrenwithdisabilitiesshouldbeincludedinclassesatschool,itisnotmeet.Teacherswhoseclassesincludechildrenwithdisabilities,arenotrewarded,insteadtheirclasseslosepoints.

“Children with disabilities are left out of kindergarten. I can say no environment has been created for them. For example, there is no special desk, stool, roadway, wheelchair or anything in the kindergartens to make them more accessible to children with disabilities. If these conditions were created and those children could be included in kindergarten, it would be good.

Teacher, soum-level kindergarten

“ If the health, education and social welfare and protection agencies worked together for the Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy, this would be helpful for children with disabilities too. There should be a kindergarten involving children with disabilities.”

Health Teacher, soum-level kindergarten

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ConClUSion and ReCommendationS

c“D

ream

”Z

.Sel

enge

10

year

sol

d

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ThestatisticaldataandtheresultsofthereviewdemonstratethattheIECDPhaspositivelyinfluencedtheaccess,qualityandeffectivenessofthesocialservicesprovidedtoyoungchildren.

Themajorindicatorsofearlychildhooddevelopmentforchildrenundertheageofsixyearsold,suchasthepre-schoolenrolment,immunisation,andmaternal/youngchildmortalityrates,haveshownconsiderableimprovement.

However,thereviewdemonstratedthatinter-sectoralcoordinationhasbeeninsufficientespeciallyatthelocallevels.Althoughthegovernmentalsocialserviceagencieshavebeenthemaindutybearersinearlychildhooddevelopment,extendingtheresponsibilitiesofparentsandcommunitieswillhelpimprovetheaccessibility,qualityandeffectivenessofsocialservicesandstreamlinetheeffortsofthegovernment.

InordertoimprovetheimpactandeffectivenessoftheIECDPinachievingtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals,EducationforAllGoalsandtheMasterPlantoDevelopEducationofMongoliain2006-2015,thegovernmentshould:

RevisetheIECDPtoimprovethefeasibilityofitsimplementationinruralareas;

ReconsiderthebudgetallocationsfortheactivitiesnecessaryforimplementationoftheIECDP;

Buildcooperationcapacityoftheimplementingagencies;

Maintainparticipationofallstakeholdersinimplementation.

Revise the policy document to improve its feasibility of implementation at national and local level

TheIECDPaims to improve thecohesionandcoordinationof theworkof thecentralgovernmentaladministrativeinstitutions.Itisnecessarytofocusonimprovementoftheintegrityoftheservicesdeliveredtoyoungchildrenbyexpandingtheparticipationandcooperationofthelocallevelinstitutionsprovidingservicestoyoungchildrenandincreasingtheinter-dependenceofthoseinstitutions.Therefore,itwillbeeffectivetoestablishaworkinggroupattheNationalCouncilforChildrentodevelopandimplementtheIECDP.Inaddition,consideringthatthekeyfunctionsofimplementationoftheIntegratedPolicyatthelocallevelscanbemanagedbyworkinggroupsattheaimagandmetropolitancouncilsforchildren,thefollowingmanagementstructureissuggestedforthenationalandlocallevels(Figure5).

•

•

•

•

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Figure 5: The management structure for implementation of the Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy

Thegoal,objectives,theirindicators,andmonitoringmechanismsneedtobeformulatedclearly,understandable,adaptedtothelocalconditionsandimpactoriented.Thenewlydevelopedpolicyistofocusoncreationofasystemtodeliveranintegratedservice,whichwillsatisfytheearlychildhooddevelopmentstandards,anditisrecommendedtoconcentrateondevelopmentofpartnershipformeetingthechilddevelopmentstandardsbetweenthepublicandprivatesectorsaswellasthecivilsociety.Forexample,alternativeformsofdeliveryofintegratedsocialservicestochildrenofherder’sandchildrenofmanualgoldextractorscanbedevelopedincooperationwiththeprivateentitiesandcivilsocietyorganizations.

Reconsider the budget allocations for activities necessary for implementation of the policy

AnimportantconditionforsuccessfulimplementationoftheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicyisathoroughstudyofthepresentlegalsystemanditseffectiveuseaswellasmakingamendmentsandadaptationsincaseitisessential.Itisalsorecommendedtoreflectcoordination,implementationandexpansionofinter-sectoralcooperationinthelawsoncentralbudget,onmanagementandfinancingofbudgetorganizationsandonprotectionoftherightsofthechildtogetherwiththesectorlawsandregulations.Thenecessarylegalframework,budgetandfundingsourcesshouldbeidentifiedforeachactivityplannedbytheIntegratedPolicy.AsthePolicypaperwillalsoformulateissuesthatcannotbesolveddirectlythroughthesectoralpoliciesandactivities,itisrecommendedtoclearlydefinethequantitiesandsourcesofthenecessaryfunding.Inadditiontotheallocationoffundsintheinter-sectoralcoordinationbudgetlineinthestatebudgetfortheimplementationofthePolicy,itisalsopossibletoallocatecertainfundstotheFundforChildren.

TheplanforimplementationoftheIECDPshouldreflectfinancialandtechnicalcontributionofinternationalandcivilsocietyorganizations,privateentitiesandindividuals.

DuplicationintheIECDPofissuesthatcanbesolvedwithinthefunctionsofthesocialserviceagenciesandwithintheotherpoliciesandprogrammeswillbeineffective.Instead,itismoreimportanttoreflectcapacitybuildingforconsistentdevelopmentandeffectiveimplementationoftheapproaches,mechanismsandregulationsfordeliveringintegratedsocialservicesensuringthe

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standardsofearlychildhooddevelopmentandactivitiesforchangingthepublicattitudeinthePolicydocument.Thus,improvementofthetrainingmethodologiesandcurriculaofalternativeformsofECDtrainingandpreparationofteachersaretobesolvedintegrallywiththeotherearlychildhooddevelopmentservices.

Build cooperation capacity of the parties implementing the policy

Asthefundamentalprincipleof theIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicy isrelativelynew,akeytoitseffectiveaccomplishmentistoassistthestakeholderstounderstandit,anddevelopinthemtheskillsnecessaryforitsimplementation.Inthereviewconductedatthelocallevels,theparticipantspointedoutthatthepolicyapprovedin2005didnotachieveitsobjectivesasitsimplementationwasattemptedwithoutenlighteningthestakeholders.Especiallythepolicyimplementationmechanismshouldbeclearatboththenationalandlocallevelsandcapacitytouseitshouldhavebeencreated.

Developmentofcooperationskillsshouldincludeexplanationofthecontentsofthepolicydocumenttothestakeholders,encouragingtheirinitiatives,promotingteamwork,andprovidingknowledgeandskillsofeffectiveplanning,spendingfundsandmonitoring.Forthispurpose,itisrecommendedtoplanworkforpromotionofthecontentsofthepolicyandbuildingthenecessarycapacitiesinthestakeholders.Itiseffectivetobuildasystemofreportingtheintegratedpolicyimplementationtothepublic.Developmentofthereportingsystemshallbecorrelatedwiththeactivitiesofthemanagingcouncilofthekindergartenandofthelivelihoodsupportcounciloperatingatthesoum/horoolevels.

Maintain equal participation of all stakeholders implementing the policy

Changingtheattitudesofparentsandofthepublic,deliveringanintegratedsocialservicetoyoungchildrenanddevelopmentofsupportinglegalframeworkswillhelpstreamlinethegovernmentfunctionsandreduceitsmonopoly.

Itisimportanttodevelopapartnershipenvironmentforthepublicandprivatesectorsandthecivilsocietythroughtherelatedlegalactsandregulations.Thiswillprovideconditionsforimprovementoftheirparticipationandcommitmentforearlychildhooddevelopment.

Deliveryofintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentservicesalsorequiresresponsibilitiesofparentsandcaretakers.Thegovernmentalinstitutionsshallsupportthoughtheirpoliciestheparticipationandinitiativesofparents.

ThereviewteammaintainsthattheIntegratedEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentPolicycanonlybeimplementedthroughanintegratedcooperationandeffectivemonitoringandevaluationmechanisms.

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ANNEX 1.COUNTRY PROFILE

Government and Administration

Item DescriptionAdministrativestructure MongoliaisalandlockedcountrylocatedbetweenRussiaand

China.Mongoliahasaterritoryof1.5millionsquarekilometersandatotalpopulationof2.6millionpeople.41percentofthepopulationlivesinruralareas,and38%livesinthecapitalcityofUlaanbaatar.

Decentralisationpolicy TheMongolianeconomyhasbeenintransitionsince1990.Assuch,ithasexperiencedradicalchangesandreforms,especiallyduringthe1990s.ThecollapseoftheSovietUnionandtransitiontoamarketeconomyleftthecountrywithmajorfinancialdifficulties,aseverelackofforeigncurrency,shortageofcapital,consumergoodsandmaterials,andhighunemploymentandpoverty.After1990,theGovernmentstruggledtostabilizetheeconomyandestablishedamarketsystemembracingprinciplesofdemocracy,privateownershipandhumanrights.Radicalreformswereintroduced,includingtheprivatizationofmanystate-ownedassets,theliberalizationofpricesandtrade,andtheestablishmentofprivatepropertyrights.

Officiallanguage(s) Mongolian

Majorlanguage(s)ofinstructioninschool

Mongolian

Currency&exchangeratetotheUSD(asofdate)

$1=MNT1163(4July2007)

Demography

Item Data SourceSizeofpopulation(millions) 2,594,800 Mongolianstatisticalyearbook

20062ndMDGreport

Averageannualpopulationgrowthrate(%,indicatetimebracket)

1.30% Mongolianstatisticalyearbook2006

Percentageofurbanpopulation(%,asoftotalpopulation)

60.90% Mongolianstatisticalyearbook,2006

Distributionofpopulationbyregion(%,byregion)

ByregionWestregion:16%Khangairegion:21%Centralregion:17%Eastregion:8%Capitalcity38%

Mongolianstatisticalyearbook,2006

HIVprevalencerate(%,asoftotalpopulation)

≤0.01% SecondGenerationSemitrialSurveillance2005

Economy

Item Data SourcePPPGNIpercapita(inUSD) USD690(2005) http://devdata.worldbank.org

SectoralcontributiontoGDP(%ofGDP)

Agriculture22Mining12Manufacturing7Electricity2Construction3Wholesale&retail26

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Hotels&restaurant1Transport,storage&communication17Financialintermediation4Realestate,renting2Publicadministration3Education3Health&socialwork1

GINIIndex 0.380 2ndMDGreport

HumanDevelopmentIndex(HDI)(andrank)

0.691116th

Humandevelopmentreport2006

Percentageofpeoplelivingunder$1perday(as%oftotalpopulation)

27.0% Humandevelopmentreport2006

Povertylevel(orincomelevel)byregion(USD)

PercapitapermonthbyregionWestern47Khangai46.9Central48.7Eastern44.5Capitalcity51.6

Mongolianstatisticalyearbook2006

Women

Item Data SourceRateofparticipationinthelabormarket(%,identifyagebracket)

64.40% Mongolianstatisticalyearbook,2006

Employmentbysector(%offemaleemployment,year)

51.5%(2006) Mongolianstatisticalyearbook,2006

Maternalmortalityratio(per100,000livebirths,year)

69.7 Mongolianstatisticalyearbook2006

Gender-RelatedDevelopmentIndex(GDI)(andrank)

0.68587th

Humandevelopmentreport2006

Children

Item Data SourceUnder-5mortalityrate(per1,000livebirths)

19.1 2ndMDGreport

Vaccinationrateagainstmeasles(%ofone-year-olds,year)

98.9%(2006) Statisticalyearbook,MOH2006

Underweightforage(%underage5,yearbracket)

Underage56.7%(2006)

3rdnationalNutritionalSurveyreport2006Humandevelopmentreport2006

EducationOverviewofformaleducationsystemofMongolia

TheGovernmentofMongoliahasbeguntoimplementanimportantstructuralreform,beginningin2004-2005withtheadditionofan11thyeartotheprimary-secondaryeducationcycle.Inthatyear,schoolsystembeganserving7yearolds,whoenteredatemporary“grade0”,butthesepupilsandthattheningrade1bothmovedto“grade2”(differentgrade2’s)in2005-06.Sinceschoolswerenotreadyin2004-05toaccommodateall7yearsoldsinallpartsofthecountry,somechildren(10,502)remainedinkindergartensfortheir“grade0”education.Bothtypesofinstitutions(kindergartensandprimaryschools)wereexpectedtoprovidethesamefirstyearcurriculum.Fromschoolyear2006-06.Allfirst-yearpupilsenteredregularprimaryschools;Thesecondstepinthestructuralreformwillinvolvetheadditionofa12thyear.Therewaslengthydebateastowhethertodothisin2008or2010,butthedecisionhasnowbeentakentogowiththeearlieroption.

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Thegoalistomovefromthe4-4-2systemthatexistedpriortothereform,toa5-4-2system,andthentoa6-4-2system,whichwillbemoreinlinewitheducationstructuresinotherpartsoftheworld.AfurtherreorganizationofMongolia’sbasiceducationsystem(from6-4to5-5)isplannedforsometimefurtherdowntheroad,probably2012-13,ascanbeseeninfigure3.1.Mongolia’seducationsystemalsoincludesavocationaleducationandtraining(VET)sub-sector,whichparallelsloweranduppersecondaryeducation.Highereducation(HE),science,andtechnology(S&T)makeuptwomoreeducationsub-sectors,andfinallythereisanon-formal/distanceeducationsub-sector.

Item Data SourceEFADevelopmentIndex(EDI)(andrank)

0.94 EFAGlobalMonitoringReport2006

AdultliteracyRate(%,agebracket) Peopleages15andabove97.8%

Mongolianstatisticalyearbook2006

Male(%,agebracket) Peopleages15andabove98%

Mongolianstatisticalyearbook2006

Female(%,agebracket) Peopleages15andabove97.%

Mongolianstatisticalyearbook2006

Netenrolmentrates(NER)inprimaryeducation(%,year)

82.3%(2006) MECSstatisticalyearbook2006

Repetitionrateforallgrades(%,year)

0.12%(2006) MECSstatisticalyearbook2006

Drop-outrateforallgrades(%,year)

2%(2006) MECSstatisticalyearbook2006

SurvivalratetoGrade5(%,year) 86.8%(2006) MECSstatisticalyearbook2006

Netenrolmentrates(NER)insecondaryeducation(%,year)

86.1%(2006) MECSstatisticalyearbook2006

Publicexpenditureoneducation,(as%ofGNP,year)

17%(2006) BudgetsetofMinisterofEducation,CultureandScienceMECSstatisticalyearbook2006

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ANNEX 2. INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS

Methodology: 2peopleshouldconductagiveninterview.OneinterviewerwillaskquestionstotherespondentaccordingtothequestionsgiveninTable1.Theotherpersonshallrecordtheresponsesindetail,instrictaccordancewiththeinstructions.Thedurationofaninterviewshallnotexceed90minutes,andquestionsmaybeaskedselectivelydependingonthesituation.

Table 1: Questions for interview

Interview code 01Respondenttype: Aimag/metropolitan/soum/districtadministrationofficers

1 Whatisthesituationoftheintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicyimplementation?Whatactivitiesarebeingundertakenforitsimplementation?

2 Whatisthestructureforimplementationoftheintegratedpolicy?Whatsizeofbudgetandfundsarebeingspentonit?

3 Whatactivitiesarebeingundertakeninyourcommunitytoimprovetheaccessofyoungchildrentohealth,educationandsocialwelfareservices?

4 Whatactivitiesarebeingundertakeninyourcommunityforimprovedqualityofhealth,educationandsocialwelfareservicesforyoungchildren?

5

Whatsuccessesandgoodpracticeshaveoccurredintheimplementationoftheintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicyinyourcommunity?Whatarethedifficultiesencountered?Howistheworkofissuingbirthcertificatesbeingimplemented?Howmanychildrencouldnotreceivebirthcertificates?

Interview code 02Respondenttype: Socialwelfareagencyofficers

1 Whatactivitiesisyouragencycarryingoutwithintheframeworkoftheintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicy?

2Whatarethepressingissuesinsocialprotectionofvulnerableandmarginalisedchildreninyourcommunity?Whatactivitiesarebeingundertakentosolvethem?

3

Aretherecasesofchildadoptionthatwereperformedthroughyouragency?Whatistheroleofyouragencyinchildadoptions?Whatisthefrequencyofchildadoptionsinyourcommunity?Whodealswiththechildrenwhohavelostbothparents?Howarethelivingenvironmentandsecurityoftheadoptedchildrencontrolled?

4Whatservicesisyouragencyprovidingtochildrenwhocannotaccesseducationbecauseofpovertyordisability?Howaretheseservicesrelatedwithotheragencies?Howdoyouassesstheimpactoftheseservices?

5

Howdoyoucooperatewithlocaleducationandhealthestablishmentsandlocalgovernmentaladministrationsintheareaofintegratedchilddevelopment?Howistheparticipationofparentsandthecommunityorganized?Whataretheopportunitiesforenhancementofthesecollaborations?

Interview code 03Respondenttype: Clinicandhealthagencyofficers

1Whatactivitiesisyourorganizationcarryingoutfortheimplementationoftheintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicy?Haveconditionsforeffectiveimplementationofthepolicyhasbeencreated?Especiallyintermsofbudget,resourcesandstructures?

2Howdoesyourorganizationobservethestandardsinmaternalandchildhealthprotection,preventionandhealthylifestyle?Howsufficientareequipment,supplyofmedicinesandstaffcapacityforobservanceofthesestandards?

3

Whatisthesituationofmalnutritionofmothersandchildreninyourcommunity?Whatactivitiesisyourorganizationcarryingouttoimprovethequalityofnutritionformothersandchildrenandtodevelophealthynutritionalpracticesandhabits?Istheresufficientaccesstobasicservicestobedeliveredtochildrenwithmalnutritionandretardedgrowth?

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4

Whatactivitiesarebeingundertakentoimproveaccesstohealthandmedicalservices?Howdoesyourorganizationcooperatewitheducationalandsocialwelfareagencies?Howistheparticipationofparentsandcommunitiesintheseactivitiesorganized?Whatelseneedstobedoneinthisareaandbywhom?

5

Whatactivitiesarebeingundertakentoimprovethequalityofhealthandmedicalservices?Howdoesyourorganizationcooperatewitheducationalandsocialwelfareagenciesinthisarea?Howisparticipationofparentsandcommunitiesintheseactivitiesorganized?Whatelseneedstobedoneinthisareaandbywhom?

Interview code 04Respondenttype: Teachersandsocialworkersofaimag/metropolitanEducationandCulture

Authorities,schoolsandkindergartens

1Whatactivitiesisyourorganizationcarryingoutfortheimplementationoftheintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicy?Haveconditionsforeffectiveimplementationofthepolicybeencreated?Especiallyintermsofbudget,resourcesandstructures?

2Whatisthepre-schoolenrolmentrateinyourcommunity?Whatactivitiesarecarriedouttoincreaseaccesstopre-schooleducation?Whatactivitiesareimplementedtoimproveaccessforvulnerableandmarginalisedchildren?

3 Whatactivitiesarecarriedouttoimprovethequalityofpre-schooleducation?Whatisdonetoimprovetheskillsofthestaffinpre-schooleducation?

4

Whatdifficultieshavebeenencounteredinimplementingmeasurestosupportearlychildhooddevelopmentinyourcommunity?Howdoyouthinktheseproblemscanbeaddressed?Howcancooperationandparticipationofhealthandsocialwelfareagencies,parentsandcommunityhelptoaddresstheseproblems?

5 Doyouthinktherearedifferencesinthelevelsofdevelopmentofchildrenwhoattendkindergartensandwhodonotattendkindergartens?Pleasegiveexamples.

Interview code 05Respondenttype: Non-governmentalorganizationsandtheprivatesector

1

Howdoesyourorganizationparticipateintheimplementationofintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentactivities?Whatcanyourorganizationdotofurtherimplementtheintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicy?Whatsupportisneededfromthegovernmentandthelocaladministrationstodoso?

2 Atwhatlevelaretheactivitiesforintegratedearlychildhooddevelopmentimplementedinyourcommunity?Why?

3 Whatshouldtherelevantagenciesdotoimproveaccesstosocialservicesforchildren?

4 Whatshouldtherelevantagenciesdotoimprovethequalityofsocialservicesforchildren?

5 Howwouldimprovedaccessandqualityofsocialservicesforchildreninfluencethedevelopmentofthesociety?

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ANNEX 3.FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Methodology:Twofacilitatorswillconductthefocusgroupdiscussions.OneofthefacilitatorswillactivatethegroupusingthekeyquestionsgiveninTable1.Theotherfacilitatorwilltakedetailednotesofthediscussion.Theminutesshallbetakeninstrictaccordancewiththeinstructions.Therecordershallnotmakeanychangesoradditionstothespeechesofthefocusgroupparticipants.

Thefollowingprinciplesshallbeobservedduringthefocusdiscussion:

Thefacilitatorshallnotaskquestionsonanytopicsthatmaybepersonallysensitiveorthatviolatethehumanrightsandpersonalfreedomsoftheparticipants.Thefacilitatorshallaskquestionsfromtheapprovedlistonly;

Afocusgroupdiscussionshallbeconductedduringaperiodofnomorethan90minutes;

Nomorethaneightpeoplewillparticipateinanygivenfocusgroupdiscussion;

Afocusgroupshallbeformedinconsiderationofageandgenderoftheparticipants;

A focus group discussion shall be conducted sensitively in view of the specific localconditions;

Therecordershalltypetheminutesofthefocusgroupdiscussionwithinthesamedayandmayattachnecessaryadditionaldataornotes;

Thefacilitatorshallreadthenoteswithinthesamedayandmakecorrectionsorclarificationsasnecessary.Inordertoclarifysomecases,thefacilitatormayuseanindividualinterviewtofollowupwithparticipants.

Table 1: Key questions for the focus group discussions

¹ Questions Exercises

A. General questions

1. Whatchangeshaveoccurredinthelocalhealth,educationandsocialprotectionservicesduringthelast3years?Pleasegiveexamples.

Calendar

2.Whatdoyouknowabouttheintegralearlychildhooddevelopmentpolicy?Whatismostimportantinintegratedearlychildhooddevelopment?

DepictionProblemtreePrioritisation

B. Access

1. Howmanyyoungchildreninyourcommunitycannotaccesshealth,educationorsocialwelfareservices?Why?

DepictionProblemtree

2.AreALLyoungchildreninyourcommunityinvolvedintheservicesofthecommunityclinic?(E.g.preventivehealthexaminations,immunisations,growthobservations,etc.)Ifnot,whynot?

DepictionProblemtree

3.CanEVERYyoungchildinyourcommunitybeenrolledinkindergarten?Ifnot,whynot?Isthereanyformotherthanthekindergartentoprovidepre-schooleducationtoyoungchildren?Ifso,whatarethey?

DepictionProblemtreePrioritisation

4.Arealleligibleyoungchildreninyourcommunityinvolvedinsocialwelfareservices?Howaboutchildrenwithdisabilitiesandchildrenofmarginalisedgroups?

DepictionProblemtreePrioritisation

C. Quality

1.Whatchangesinqualityoccurredinthelocalhealth,educationandsocialprotectionservicesduringthelast3years?(E.g.theserviceenvironment,staffcapacity,funding,equipment,observanceofstandards,etc.)

DepictionProblemtreePrioritisation

2.Howdoesthecommunityclinic(hospital,healthagency)workintheareaofmaternalandchildnutrition?Whataretheopportunitiestoimprovethequalityoftheirservices?

ProblemtreePrioritisation

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

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3. Doyouthinkthatthecontentandmethodologyoftrainingforyoungchildrenmeettheneedsandrequirementsoftheirdevelopment?Ifnot,whynot?Whatarethewaystoimprovethem?

ProblemtreePrioritisation

4. AreALLyoungchildrenwithdisabilitiesinyourcommunityinvolvedintheservicesofthesanatoriaandnurseries?Ifnot,whynot?(Whatdoyouknowaboutchildadoptions?)

DepictionProblemtreePrioritisation

5. Whocandowhattoimprovethesocialwelfare,healthandeducationservicesforyoungchildreninyourcommunity?Howcanyoucontribute?

DepictionProblemtree

D. Effectiveness1. Whatdoyouknowaboutthebudgetandfundsspentforactivitiestosupportearly

childhooddevelopment?Dorelatedsocialserviceagenciesgiveyouinformationaboutthis?Whatshouldbedonetoincreasetheeffectivenessofthespendingoftheseagencies?

DepictionPrioritisation

2. Doyoutakepartinmakingdecisionsrelatedtosocialservicestobedeliveredtoyoungchildren?Ifnot,whynot?

ProblemtreePrioritisation

PARTICIPATORY EXERCISES

Pie Chart:thePiechartexerciseisusedtodefinetheparticipationoflocalgroupsandorganizationsandtheircorrelations,cooperationandcontributionstolocaldevelopment.

Steps of the Pie Chart exercise:

1. Identifythegoal:Asktheparticipants“Whatdoyouwanttofindout,inwhichsectororarea?”Examplescouldincludetheparticipationindecisionmakingprocesses,participationinthelocalcitizen’scouncilmeetings,andparticipationbymaterialcontributions.

2. Listthefamousinfluentialfiguresinthecommunity,includingpoorhouseholds,herderhouseholds, soum/baghadministrators,of socialgroups, representativesofcivil societyorganizations(forwomen/men,seniorcitizensorchildren).

3. Classifyandsortthelistbytheirpercentageinthepopulation,power,reputation,influenceorothercriteriaofyourchoice.

4. Cutoutpiepiecesorshapesofvariousdimensions.Writethenamesofthesocialgroups,organizationsorindividualsonthepieces.Thelargestpieceshouldrepresentthemostinfluentialperson/grouporthegroup/organizationthatrepresentsthehighestnumberofpeople.

5. Drawalargecircleonapaperandwriteonitwhatthiscirclerepresents,e.g.localdevelopmentissueorimplementationofplan.

6. Decidethedistanceofplacingeachpiefromthecentreofthelargecircledependingontheparticipation/involvementofthegroupintheissueand/orhowtheycooperatewitheachother.Theorganizations/groupsthatcooperatewitheachothershouldbeplacedclosetogether,whilethosethatdonotcooperatewitheachothershouldbeplacedfartherfromoneanother.

Matrix exercise: TheMatrixexerciseisusedtoidentifythebestsolutionbyrankinginformationaccordingtoselectedcriteria.

Steps of the Matrix exercise:

1. Inordertoselectthepriorityissue,criteriashouldbeidentified.(E.g.,whetherpoorandmarginalisedgroupscanbenefitfromtheresultsofaproject.)

2. Createalistofcriteriatobeusedforidentificationofpriorities.Theprincipleofchoosingthecriteriashouldbetochoosegenericandpositivecriteria.Forexample:

Deliverimpactinsociety,•

56

Reductionofspending,

Achievable,

Effectpositivechangesinthecommunity.

3. Theparticipantsshouldranktheissuesbycheckingeachofthemagainstthecriteria.Pointsfrom1to5areusedfortheranking,where1indicatesthelowestpriority,3neutraloraveragepriority,and5thehighestpriority.

4. foreachissue,summariesthepointsgiven.

5. Theideathatwasgiventhehighestsumofscoresshouldbechosenbythegroupdiscussion.

Prioritisation of the impacts of projects by the Matrix method

Establishment of an information and training centre at

the horoo

Building a playground

Clean environment-

hygiene

Civil registration

Poor and marginalised groups and the community benefit from the outcomes of the project

3 2 3 5

The project brings positive changes to the lives of the community members

3 1 3 4

The outcomes and benefits of the project are sustainable 5 4 4 5

The benefits of the project are accessible to the community covering as many as possible people

3 3 4 3

Relevance to the national and local development policies and development programmes

5 1 5 4

Total 19 11 19 21

TheMatrixmethodcanbeusedtodeterminetheperceivedbenefitsofaprojectbyselectingthemostsuccessfulprojectaccordingtothesumofitsscoresforeachcategory.

Alternatively,agivenprioritycategorycanbeisolated,selectingprojectsthatscoredwellinthatcategory.

Brainstorming Exercise: Brainstormingaimstogenerateasmanynewideasaspossiblewithparticipationofagroup.Itiseffectivelyusedduringvarioustypesofmeetingsanddiscussions.Thismodelenablespeopletothinkfreelyandcreativelywithoutbeingrestrictedtoatemplate.Itfocusestheparticipantsontheissueofthediscussion.

Steps of the Brainstorming exercise:

Brainstormingisusuallyemployedtogenerateideasandoptionsfortheissueunderdiscussion.Itisalsousedtointroduceanewtopicandtostartadiscussion.Allparticipantsareaskedtospeakouteverythingthatcomestotheirmindinrelationtothetopicevenifexpressedinoneortwo

•

•

•

•

•

57

wordsonly.Allideasspokenoutduringabrainstormshouldbeacceptedwithoutanycriticism.Theparticipantsshouldbeencouragedeverytimetheyspeakoutanideawithphrasessuchas“Good!”or“Whatelse?”

Theadvantageof thismethod is that itgeneratesmany ideas inashortperiodof time,activatesandenergisesthegroup,inducescreativity,enablespeopletoexpressthemselveswithoutembarrassmentofbeingcriticisedandprovidesanindicationofthelevelofknowledgeoftheparticipants.Thismethodletspeoplethinkfreelybeyondtherestrictionsofmoreconventionaldiscussionmodels.

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ANNEX 4.POLICY REVIEW PLANNING

Review stages and activities Period Targets

One. Preparatory stage1.1.Developguidelinesforthepolicyreview December2006 Guidelinesforthereviewworkdeveloped

andpreparedtobeusedinregionaltraining.

1.2.Formthepolicyreviewworkinggroupandselectresearchers

January2007

Thecompositionofthereview-workinggroupisclear.JointresolutionoftheministriesofMECS,MSWLandMOHisissued.

1.3.Participateintheregionalpolicyreviewtraining January2007

ThereviewworkinggroupparticipatesinregionaltrainingandlearnsaboutthefindingsofthereviewinMongolia.Thereviewguidelineandmethodologyarefinalized.

Two. Research stage2.1.Conductpreparationofthepolicyreviewattheministriesandinthelocaladministrativeunits

February2007Ameetingoftheparticipatingministriesandlocaladministrativeunitsinvolvedinthereviewandpreparatoryworkiscompleted.

2.2.Conductthepolicyreview,receiveadviceandsupportfromtheregionaladvisor

February-June2007Policyreviewisconductedandthemainobjectivesaremet.

2.3.Writeapreliminaryreportofthepolicyreviewandpreparefortheregionalworkshop

June-July2007Thepolicyreviewisreadyforintroductiontotheregionalworkshop.Thelocalpolicyreviewisdiscussedattheregionalworkshop.

Three. Post-review stage3.1.Finalisethepolicyreviewreport July-September2007 Thepolicyreviewreportisdiscussedatthe

ministriesandinsmallgroups.

3.2.Organizemeetingtointroducereportfindings October2007

Theconclusionsandrecommendationsofthepolicyreviewareintroducedtothepublic.

3.3.Publishanddisseminatethepolicyreviewreport October-November

2007

Conclusionsandrecommendationsaboutthepreconditionsfornationallevelimplementationofthepolicyarecreated.

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ANNEX 5. REVIEW TEAM

¹ Names Function in the review Organization and position

1. J.Batdelger Teamleader Director,CollegeofPre-SchoolEducation

2. B.Bathuu Researcher Researcher,CenterforSocialDevelopment

3. Sh.Erdenechimeg Researcher Researcher,NationalUniversityofMongolia

4. D.Ganzorig Researcher Researcher,InstituteofPublicHealth

5. T.Tsendsuren Advisor ECDofficer,UNICEFMongolia

6. G.Batjargal Assistant Lecturer,CollegeofPre-SchoolEducation

7. B.Boldsuren Assistant Psychologist

8. Ch.Tsendmaa Assistant Earlychildhoodeducator

9. D.Surenhorloo Assistant Earlychildhoodeducator

10. B.Enkhtsetseg Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

11. Ch.Chintsogt Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

12. D.Otgonchimeg Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

13. G.Solongo Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

14. D.Dorjmyagmar Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

15. E.Bolortuya Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

16. D.Yunjirmaa Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

17. O.Enhtor Assistant Student,NationalUniversityofMongolia

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