2017年-世界发展银行全球_Pre-Primary_Education_in_Mongolia___Access_Quality_of_Service_Delivery_and_Child_Development_Outcomes_113页_2mb

Summary of Pre-Primary Education in Mongolia

Core Content

This report provides an in-depth analysis of early childhood education (ECE) in Mongolia, focusing on access, quality of service delivery, and child development outcomes. It outlines key challenges and proposes strategic actions to improve the effectiveness and equity of ECE in the country.

Main Points

1.1 Why Invest in Preschool?

• Early childhood development is a strong predictor of adult success.
• Investments in ECE yield high returns, up to 10% per annum.
• Cognitive and non-cognitive skills (such as attentiveness, perseverance, impulse control, and sociability) are crucial for long-term educational and life outcomes.
• Early inequalities in opportunity can be mitigated through quality ECE.

1.2 Structure and Characteristics of Preschool Education in Mongolia

• ECE in Mongolia includes formal preschool services and alternative programs.
• The system is governed by legislation such as the Law of Primary and Secondary Education and the Mongolian Pre-school Education Law.
• The National Policy on Integrated Early Childhood Development (2005) coordinates efforts across education, health, and social welfare sectors.

1.3 Coverage of Preschool Services

• Formal preschool services cover about 70% of children aged 3–5 years.
• Alternative preschool services cover an additional 9%.
• There are no gender gaps in access to preschool, but significant geographic and ethnic disparities remain.
• Rural areas lag behind in enrollment, with only 46% of children aged 36–59 months enrolled.
• Urban areas, particularly Ulaanbaatar, have higher enrollment rates.
• Kazakh households have a 24 percentage point lower enrollment rate than the majority Khalkh population.

1.4 Public Expenditure on Preschool Education

• ECE accounts for 20% of the country's education expenditure, indicating its importance.
• Public spending is focused on salaries, meals, and utilities, but learning materials are underfunded.
• Budget constraints lead to reliance on parental contributions and local government transfers for learning resources.

1.5 ECE Financing System

• The financing system is fragmented, with limited systematic knowledge about service quality.
• Parents are now obligated to cover part of meal costs, as per recent amendments.
• The mandatory age for primary school entry was lowered from 7 to 6, increasing the demand for preschool services.

1.6 Provision of Meals and Learning Materials

• Learning materials and school supplies are not adequately provided by the state.
• Parents often bear the cost of these supplies, which can create disparities in access and quality.
• Ger kindergartens are a common alternative for nomadic herders, but they lack the quality and duration of fixed kindergartens.

2.1 Quality of Kindergarten Services

• Quality assurance mechanisms are needed to monitor and improve service standards.
• Kindergarten quality is the most important factor influencing school readiness.
• Socioeconomic status significantly affects development outcomes, even after accounting for kindergarten-level variables.

2.2 Measuring Quality: World Bank Kindergarten Survey 2015

• The survey assessed structural characteristics, kindergarten type and location, and performance on ECEMI subscales.
• Urban kindergartens generally outperform rural ones in terms of quality.
• Private kindergartens in non-ger areas of Ulaanbaatar tend to be of higher quality than those in ger areas.

3.1 School Readiness Among 5-Year-Old Children

• Household wealth is a major determinant of preschool enrollment.
• Children from the poorest quintile are 40 percentage points less likely to enroll than those from the richest.
• Herders' children are underrepresented in the ECE system.
• School readiness is strongly correlated with socioeconomic status, with male children and children from Kazakh households showing poorer outcomes.

3.2 ECE Outcomes in a Home-Based School Preparation Intervention

• A home-based intervention by Save the Children Japan (SCJ) improved school readiness significantly.
• The program included parental support, curriculum, and community mobilization.
• Vulnerable children benefited more from this approach than from alternative services.

3.3 ECE Outcomes Among Children in the MICS

• The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data shows large socioeconomic gaps in development outcomes.
• Cognitive development and language are particularly affected by these gaps.

Key Action Areas

1. Improve Access to ECE in Rural Areas

• Target hard-to-reach populations, such as nomadic herders, with community- or home-based modalities.
• Evaluate ger kindergartens to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.
• Improve public spending by focusing on underrepresented groups.

2. Improve Access to Formal ECE Services in Urban Areas

• Expand fixed kindergarten services in urban areas.
• Consider public financing of private kindergartens to reduce congestion and improve access.
• Design incentives to ensure quality in private sector services.

3. Improve Quality of Fixed Public Kindergartens

• Develop a quality scorecard to monitor compliance and assess quality regularly.
• Target quality improvements to rural areas, where they are most needed.
• Improve the math and numbers environment in kindergartens.
• Use child-centered approaches to enhance cognitive and language outcomes.

4. Undertake Further Analytical Work

• Examine ECE financing norms and out-of-pocket contributions.
• Address male disadvantage and specific needs of minority and disabled children.
• Explore demand-side solutions, such as conditional cash transfers and vouchers.
• Link interventions to existing social welfare programs, such as the Child Money Program.

Key Information

• ECE investment is cost-effective and can yield up to 10% annual returns.
• Geographic and ethnic disparities in access and quality remain significant.
• Socioeconomic status is a strong determinant of school readiness.
• Home-based interventions show promise in improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
• Quality assurance is critical for improving ECE outcomes.
• Public expenditure is insufficient to cover all learning materials, leading to reliance on parental contributions.
• Rural kindergartens lag behind in quality, and ger kindergartens offer limited exposure.
• Private kindergartens in urban areas tend to be of higher quality than those in rural or ger areas.
• Strategic investments are needed to improve equity and effectiveness in ECE.

Conclusion

The report emphasizes the importance of quality and equity in ECE and outlines four key action areas to improve access and outcomes. It highlights the potential of home-based programs and the need for targeted public investment to address disparities. By improving service quality, financing mechanisms, and access, Mongolia can ensure that all children, especially those from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds, are better prepared for school and have equitable opportunities for development.