In 2001,the Egyptian governmentannounced its intention to build on progress toward improvedchild health, and education by increasing enrollment ratesin kindergarten (KG) programs, and improving early childhoodeducation. The repot examines the status of KG enrollment,stipulating fifty percent is in private schools, and, mostprograms in the private sector are developed, and managed bynon-governmental organizations (NGOs) and religious schools.Notwithstanding, poor children still face many barriers toKG enrollment: there is a strong correlation between grossdomestic product (GDP) per capita, and gross enrollment inKG in Egypt - the poorest governorates in Upper, and LowerEgypt have the lowest KG enrollment rates, and, there aredisparities between KG enrollment rates for girls, and boys.Key priorities for KG expansion suggest the adoption ofcomprehensive approaches to pre-service, and in-servicetraining;development of an official KG curriculum;integrated health and nutrition services to improve abilityto learn; and, adoption of a participatory approach toquality improvement. Strategies to expand KG should focus onstrengthening coordination, and management of earlychildhood education (ECE), to improve access to public KG,but most importantly, provide support for teacher trainingthrough supervision, and mentoring programs. Restrictions toprivate sector participation in public KG expansion shouldbe revised within a regulatory framework, while incentivesshould be created for improved access to disadvantaged children.
PDF
download
878987797
028-85220240
