New Horizons: A Review of Early Childhood Care and Education in Asia and the Pacific

The foundations of children’s emotional, social, cognitive, physical and communication skills are developed in their first few years of life. This is the period when their brain development is at its most intense, when they are extremely receptive to a wide variety of stimuli, and when they begin to acquire skills and habits that may serve them well for the rest of their lives.

In recognition of the critical importance of early childhood care and education for human development and lifelong learning, a specific target (4.2) on ECCE was set within SDG 4. Target 4.2 builds on Education for All (EFA) Goal 1 on comprehensive ECCE, and seeks to ensure that by 2030 “all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.”

Since 2000, countries in Asia and the Pacific have made significant progress in improving the well-being of young children and expanding the provision of ECCE services. However, progress has been uneven in areas such as improving equitable access, quality, governance, and financing and monitoring.

This report serves as a reference and baseline document for those working towards achieving this ambitious and necessary SDG target. By analyzing how countries in the Asia and Pacific region fared as a whole in achieving EFA Goal 1 between 2000 and 2015, it identifies the region’s successes and challenges in the multifaceted dimensions of ECCE. The report also draws lessons from six case studies to highlight successful ECCE policies and programmes, with a special focus on quality, equitable access, service delivery, and financing and monitoring. In light of the education targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the report will support policy-makers and education professionals alike by providing evidence, good practices and lessons learnt for formulating policies and instituting or enhancing ECCE programmes that will benefit young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, throughout the region.

Download PDF in English / Russian

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New Horizons: A Review of Early Childhood Care and Education in Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2016, 120p.

ISBN: 978-92-9223-547-5 (Print version)
ISBN: 978-92-9223-548-2 (Electronic version)

Новые горизонты: Обзор состояния дел в области воспитания и обучения детей младшего возраста в странах Азии и бассейна Тихого океана

ISBN: 978-92-9223-554-3 (Electronic version)