The first ever
National Seminar on Early Childhood Care and Development ended on 12th
November, 2012 at Paro College of Education. The focus of the seminar was on Holistic
Early Childhood Care and Development: The first step in realizing Gross
National Happiness.
The seminar presented opportunities for participants to exchange constructive
dialogues about ECCD knowledge and understanding of an importance of ECCD, it
provided an avenue for different stakeholders in ECCD to share their work, it was to educate an sensitize the policy makers
and leaders and legislators in formalizing ECCD as a national education agenda, and to bring together the local
experts and experts in the region on a common plate form for sharing the best practices of
ECCD.
The opening ceremony was graced by His Excellency, the Minister of Education, Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel, on 11th November, 2012 coinciding with the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty, the Fourth Druk Gyelpo, Jigme Singey Wangchuk and Children’s day. Also present were the Madam, Claire Van der Vaeren Resident coordinator of United Nation Development Programme, Mr. Eric Durpaire, Deputy Representative and the officiating Representative of UNICEF, Mr. Ghalley County Director of save the children, Mr. Kinley Gyeltshen, Chief programme officer of ECCD and SEN Division, Managing Director of DAHE, and Directors of RIHS, PCE and SCE His Excellency, in opening speech highlighted that, “The only viable wealth that we have is our people, it is imperative to build our human capacity at all level, but the best place to begin is early childhood because this is where most mental and physical development takes place” His Excellency further added that, “Children are our collective responsibility- involving the parents, state institutions, non-governmental and civil society organizations, the media, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and volunteer groups- given the critical importance of children as the custodians of our future”.
Mrs. Purushottani Bhanda, one of the participants
from Yebilaptsa Hospital said “the seminar enhanced my knowledge on upbringing
children from the day of conception to 8 years old” Another participant, Mr. Kinley Penjor, from
Sarpang Hospital said “It was quiet a relevant seminar from my professional
perspective, as people like me are in the frontline interacting with children’s
health needs, which includes all the aspect of physical, emotional and
psychological”. He added “the seminar enhanced my knowledge and understanding
on the importance of young child’s need”. Early
Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) refer to services
provided to caregivers as well as children aged 0-8 years old. The services
include pre-natal and neonatal health care, organized early stimulation and
learning through early childhood care and development centres- private,
community and workplace. ECCD is a fairly new concept in Bhutan. It all began
when Royal Government of Bhutan allowed private entrepreneurs to establish
private primary schools in late 1990’s. These private schools had nursery
classes which catered to young children between ages 3-5 years.
The seminar presented opportunities for participants to exchange constructive
dialogues about ECCD knowledge and understanding of an importance of ECCD, it
provided an avenue for different stakeholders in ECCD to share their work, it was to educate an sensitize the policy makers
and leaders and legislators in formalizing ECCD as a national education agenda, and to bring together the local
experts and experts in the region on a common plate form for sharing the best practices of
ECCD. The opening ceremony was graced by His Excellency, the Minister of Education, Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel, on 11th November, 2012 coinciding with the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty, the Fourth Druk Gyelpo, Jigme Singey Wangchuk and Children’s day. Also present were the Madam, Claire Van der Vaeren Resident coordinator of United Nation Development Programme, Mr. Eric Durpaire, Deputy Representative and the officiating Representative of UNICEF, Mr. Ghalley County Director of save the children, Mr. Kinley Gyeltshen, Chief programme officer of ECCD and SEN Division, Managing Director of DAHE, and Directors of RIHS, PCE and SCE His Excellency, in opening speech highlighted that, “The only viable wealth that we have is our people, it is imperative to build our human capacity at all level, but the best place to begin is early childhood because this is where most mental and physical development takes place” His Excellency further added that, “Children are our collective responsibility- involving the parents, state institutions, non-governmental and civil society organizations, the media, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and volunteer groups- given the critical importance of children as the custodians of our future”.
Mrs. Purushottani Bhanda, one of the participants
from Yebilaptsa Hospital said “the seminar enhanced my knowledge on upbringing
children from the day of conception to 8 years old” Another participant, Mr. Kinley Penjor, from
Sarpang Hospital said “It was quiet a relevant seminar from my professional
perspective, as people like me are in the frontline interacting with children’s
health needs, which includes all the aspect of physical, emotional and
psychological”. He added “the seminar enhanced my knowledge and understanding
on the importance of young child’s need”. Early
Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) refer to services
provided to caregivers as well as children aged 0-8 years old. The services
include pre-natal and neonatal health care, organized early stimulation and
learning through early childhood care and development centres- private,
community and workplace. ECCD is a fairly new concept in Bhutan. It all began
when Royal Government of Bhutan allowed private entrepreneurs to establish
private primary schools in late 1990’s. These private schools had nursery
classes which catered to young children between ages 3-5 years.