2012年-世界发展银行全球_Kingdom_of_Tonga___Early_Childhood_Development_26页_1mb

Summary of the SABER Country Report on Early Childhood Development in the Kingdom of Tonga (2012)

Core Content

The SABER-ECD report on the Kingdom of Tonga evaluates the country's current status and policy goals for early childhood development (ECD), highlighting the need for an integrated and sustainable approach to support the holistic development of young children and their families. Tonga is an archipelago of 176 islands in the South Pacific, with a population of 104,509, of which 13% are under the age of 5. The country ranks 90th in the UNDP Human Development Index and has a GDP per capita of USD 4,168, with 23% of the population living below the poverty line.

The report outlines three core policy goals for ECD in Tonga:

1. Establishing an Enabling Environment
2. Implementing Widely
3. Monitoring and Assuring Quality

These goals are assessed using a continuum model that categorizes countries as Latent, Emerging, Established, or Advanced in their development of ECD policies.

Main Policy Goals and Key Findings

1. Establishing an Enabling Environment

Policy Levers:

• Legal Framework
• Intersectoral Coordination
• Finance

Key Findings:

• Legal Framework: While Tonga has some laws and policies that support ECD, such as the Health Services Act (1991) and the National Immunization Policy (2003), there is no official ECE Policy yet, and the legal framework for ECD remains weak.
• Intersectoral Coordination: Coordination between health, education, and other sectors is lacking, with interventions often operating in silos. A multi-sectoral strategy is needed to ensure integrated and effective ECD service delivery.
• Finance: ECD funding is limited, especially in the education sector. There is no transparent budget process or specific allocation for ECE in the education sector. The health sector, however, has adequate funding for essential services, including immunizations and maternal care.

2. Implementing Widely

Key Findings:

• ECD programming exists in multiple sectors, but coverage is limited, especially in early learning.
• The Ministry of Health provides equitable coverage of essential ECD services, including well-child visits and immunizations.
• The Ministry of Education and Training (MET) has limited access to early learning opportunities for young children.
• There is inequality in access to ECD services, particularly for children with disabilities and vulnerable families.

3. Monitoring and Assuring Quality

Key Findings:

• There is a lack of comprehensive administrative and survey data to monitor ECD outcomes and coverage.
• Quality assurance mechanisms are not in place for ECD services.
• Monitoring must be coordinated at both local and national levels to ensure effective implementation and service delivery.

Key Interventions and Policies

The SABER-ECD framework identifies several key interventions that should be in place to support ECD:

• Healthcare: Standard health screenings for pregnant women, skilled attendants at delivery, childhood immunizations, and well-child visits.
• Nutrition: Promotion of breastfeeding, salt iodization, and iron fortification.
• Early Learning: Parenting programs, childcare for working parents, and free preprimary education with a developmentally appropriate curriculum.
• Social Protection: Services for orphans and vulnerable children, financial transfers for low-income families, and legal protections for children with disabilities.
• Child Protection: Birth registration, parental leave, and legal support for children.

Regional Comparison

Tonga has stronger birth registration than most other Pacific countries, which is important for legal protections and access to services.

Recommendations

• Finalize the ECE Policy and ensure it is endorsed by multiple sectors.
• Establish mechanisms for intersectoral coordination, including a central coordinating body.
• Develop a transparent budget process for ECD, including specific funding for preprimary education.
• Strengthen legal protections for children, especially orphans and vulnerable children, and children with disabilities.
• Implement quality assurance systems and monitoring frameworks across all ECD sectors.
• Promote parental leave policies that apply to both public and private sectors.
• Support integrated service delivery by aligning health and education services with ECD goals.

Conclusion

The Kingdom of Tonga has made progress in ECD, particularly in healthcare and birth registration, but remains at an Emerging level in terms of policy development. The report emphasizes the need for a more integrated and well-funded ECD system to ensure optimal child development and long-term societal benefits. Strengthening the legal framework, intersectoral coordination, and financial support are critical steps toward achieving this goal.