Tenders Are Invited For Consultancy For An Evaluation Of The Early Childhood Care And Development Programme

Tenders Are Invited For Consultancy For An Evaluation Of The Early Childhood Care And Development Programme In Bhutan Terms Of Reference For An Evaluation Of The Early Childhood Care And Development Programme In Bhutan1 Background And ContextInvestment In High Quality And Equitable Early Childhood Care And Development Eccd Programmes Is One Of The Surest Ways Of Promoting Holistic Development In Children And Ensuring Improved Life Outcomes Research Shows That Multi Sectoral Eccd Interventions Bring Highest Returns By Addressing Inequities In Health Ability Achievement Opportunities And Long Term Success Therefore Eccd Interventions That Support A Nurturing Healthy Safe And Stimulating Environment For Growth Is Every Childs Right Eccd Is A National Priority In Bhutan Through Its Endorsement Of The National Bhutan Education Blueprint 2014 2024 And The Global Sustainable Development Goals Bhutan Has Committed To 50 Percent Eccd Coverage By 2024 And 100 Percent Eccd Coverage By 2030 Respectively The Draft National Eccd Policy Specifies The Target Age Group Of Eccd Services From Conception To Eight Years However The Concept Of Eccd Is Mainly Associated With Centre Based Programmes For Children Of 3 To 5 Years This Is Identified As A Major Challenge In Bhutan S Recent Efforts To Move Towards Multi Sectoral Eccd Coordination Despite This Limited Outlook Regarding Eccd Programmes In Practice Eccd Services Are Provided For Children Based On Three Age Group Categories 0 To 3 Years Health Services 3 To 5 Years Centre Based Programmes And 6 To 8 Years Primary Schools A Brief Overview Of Eccd Services For Each Age Group Is Provided Below Eccd For 0 To 3 Year OldsWhile Health Services For Mothers And Newborns Already Exist Access To Eccd Focused Services For 0 To 3 Year Olds Is An Emerging Programme Current Eccd Interventions For This Age Group Are Primarily Focused On Antenatal And Postnatal Services Provided By The Ministry Of Health Moh Since 2014 The Moh Has Developed A Care For Child Development C4cd Programme To Integrate Early Stimulation Programmes Through Existing Health Facilities In Addition A One Year C4cd Plus Pilot Programme Was Launched In 2017 To Equip Parents With Knowledge And Skills To Stimulate Holistic Development In 0 3 Aged Children Some Government And Non Governmental Organizations Have Also Established Cr Ches For Working Parents With Children Of 0 To 3 Years In 2018 The Process To Develop Early Learning And Development Standards As Well As A Curriculum Implementation Guide For Children Of 0 To 3 Years Was Also Initiated In 2015 The Under Five Mortality Rate Decreased To 33 From 37 3 In 2012 The Infant Mortality Rate Decreased To 27 From 30 In 2012 And The Neonatal Mortality Rate Reduced To 18 From 21 In 2012 1 Despite These Achievements Data Sources Indicate That There Are Several Challenges For Children In This Specific Age Group According To The National Nutrition Survey Close To One In Every Five Children Below Five Years Are Stunted And One Third Of These Children Are Severely Stunted Calling For Urgent Action On Reducing Stunting In Children Stronger Efforts Are Therefore Necessary To Expand The Coverage Of Holistic Eccd Services Early Stimulation Care Responsiveness And Safety In Addition To Health Services For The Earliest Years Eccd For 3 To 5 Year OldsSince The Inception Of The Concept Of Eccd In Bhutan A Decade Ago Eccd Is Associated Mainly With Learning Opportunities For Children Of 3 To 5 Years Through Centre Basedprogrammes And Parenting Education Recognizing The Enduring Benefits Of Eccd The Ministry Of Education Has Prioritized The Establishment Of Eccd Centres In Remote Rural And Disadvantaged Communities Professional Development Of Eccd Facilitators And Key Eccd Focal Persons At All Levels Of Management Supply Of Eccd Teaching And Learning Materials And Eccd Policy Development And Advocacy Over The Years Key Operational And Guiding Documents Such As Eccd Curriculum Early Learning And Development Standards Operational Guidelines Parenting Education Manual Monitoring And Evaluation Tools And Professional Development Programmes Were Developed To Address The Quality Of Eccd Programmes The Eccd Programme Approach Specifically For Centre Based Programmes Is Multi Pronged With Emphasis On Child Focused Programmes Parent Focused Interventions And Advocacy Across All Levels Through Many Platforms The Centre Based Eccd Programme Supports Children S Development And Enhances Their School Readiness For Transition To Formal Schooling While Parenting Education Promotes Early Stimulation In Children Through Parent And Caregiver Engagement As A Result Access To Eccd Centres Have Increased Steadily Over The Years Figure 2 With Close To No Differences In Gender Enrolment The Total Number Of Centres Have Increased From 94 Centers In 2011 To 340 Centers In 2018 Out Of The 340 Centres 58 Centres 17 Percent Are Private 3 Ngo Based And 4 Are Corporate Based Centers However The Centre Based Programme Is Not Without Constraints According To The Bhutan Eccd Investment Case Study 2017 Access Quality Equity And Sustainability Are Primary Concerns Related To Eccd Centres Even Though Coverage Is Expanding Rapidly Due To Bhutan S Mountainous Terrain And Scattered Population Not All Children Are Reached Through The Centre Based Models In This Context The Need To Explore Feasible Alternative Eccd Models Is Critical To Ensure 100 Percent Access The Potential Of Eccd Centres As Early Detection And Intervention Programmes For Children With Disabilities Is Not Utilized Fully Due To Lack Of Inclusive Early Intervention Services In Existing Centres Also The Quality Of Learning Experiences The Professional Development Of Eccd Facilitators As Well As The Sustainability Of The Programmes Are Other Major Concerns Eccd For 6 To 8 Year OldsBhutan Through Pre Primary Education For Children From 6 Years Onwards Has Provided Education Programmes For Children In This Age Group Since The 1960S But The Effort To Emphasize Eccd Programmes For Children In Their Early Years Of Formal Schooling Is A Recent Initiative Since 2011 Pre Primary Pp Teachers Have Been Trained On A Step By Step Approach To Facilitate Smooth Transition Of Children From Eccd Centres To Formal Schools The Approach Is Designed To Promote Child Focused And Activity Based Teaching Methodologies To Promote Holistic Development In Children Among All Three Age Groups For Eccd Services Children Of 6 To 8 Years Have The Highest Access Since Primary Schools Have Strong Outreach In Bhutan Consequently Gross Enrolment Ratio Ger At The Primary Level Stands At 105 6 Percent And Net Enrolment Ratio Ner At 92 9 Percent With Minimal Gender Differences In Enrolment 1 Nevertheless The Achievements In Access Are Not Matching The Achievements In Quality The Condition Of Learning Experiences And Classroom Environments Remain A Key Concern For This Age Group Additionally The Involvement Of Parents In The Stimulation And Development Of Children For This Age Group Is Also Identified As An Important Area Of Intervention 2 Purpose Of The EvaluationEvidently Bhutan Provides Eccd Services For Children From 0 To 8 Years Of Age But The Relevance Effectiveness Efficiency And Sustainability Of These Services Require Deeper Analysis To Ensure Universal Access And Quality Eccd Programmes Currently One In Every Five Children Are Stunted And Approximately 76 Percent Of Children In Bhutan Still Do Not Have Access To Eccd Centres Bhutan S Mountainous Terrain And Scattered Population CallsFor Innovative Interventions Through Alternative Eccd Models To Increase Outreach And Include Children From Remote Nomadic And Hard To Reach Areas Since Children With Disabilities Are Among Those Without Access To Eccd Services Early Intervention Programmes And Inclusive Eccd Services Need To Be Developed To Ensure Universal Access To Eccd From The Earliest Age With The Acknowledgement That Eccd Services Cover Children Of 0 To 8 Years There Is On Going Work To Develop A National Eccd Multi Sectoral Strategic Plan To Improve Multi Sectoral Coordination This Evaluation Therefore Comes At An Opportune Moment To Help Identify Key Strategic And Systemic Shifts To Strengthen Multi Sectoral Eccd Coordination Among Major Stakeholders Consequently The Purpose Of This Evaluation Is Multi Fold The Evaluation Will Focus On Relevance Effectiveness Efficiency And Sustainability Of The Programme In Achieving Its Desired Objectives Specified As National Priorities In Bhutan S 10Th 11Th And 12Th Five Year Plan Fyp The Bhutan Education Blueprint The Draft National Education Policy And Global Priorities As Specified In The Sdgs Provide A Set Of Actionable Recommendations Based On Credible Findings To Enhance Multi Sectoral Coordination And Inform The Development Of The National Multi Sectoral Eccd Strategic Plan Suggest Innovative Alternative And Sustainable Eccd Models For Bhutan And Formulate Systemic And Strategic Recommendations For Strengthening Eccd Programmes In The Upcoming Country Programme And Bhutan 12 Fyp 3 ObjectivesBroadly The Evaluation Will Assess The Relevance Effectiveness Efficiency And Sustainability Of The Existing Eccd Programmes Design Implementation And Achievements The Evaluation Approach Should Consider Gender And Equity Dimensions Of The Programme Specific Objectives Of The Evaluation Are To Construct A Theory Of Change For Eccd Programme Taking Into Consideration Bhutan 12Th Five Year Plan And Subsequent Future Fyps Provide Recommendations For The National Multi Sectoral Eccd Strategic Action Plan Identify Key Factors That Have Contributed To

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