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National Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care Services (0 – 3 years)

CLOSED CONSULTATION  

  
 
From: Ministry for Education
(
Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education)​
​Published: ​4 June 2021
Running till: ​9 July 2021
​Last Updated: 12 July 2021
1.        Background
 

The Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE) within the Ministry for Education (MFED), responsible for the quality assurance of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services (0-3) is currently in the process of updating the National Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care Services (0-3) to reflect the significant changes and development in the area of early years education. The area of ECEC has also been included as one of the main areas of foci towards achieving the targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in particular target SDG 4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Research in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) has shown that this time in the life of a child is pivotal as it influences the child’s emotional development and approach to learning. Considering the recent strides linked to the area of ECEC, it was felt that the current National Standards for child day care facilities (2006) which provided a foundation and strong basis for ECEC provision needed to be updated to reflect important developments in early childhood education and care.

The objectives of the new National Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care Services (0-3) are to:

  • Reflect recent developments in the ECEC (0-3) field within a Maltese context;
  • Be in line with ongoing ECEC research and practice for children aged (0-3);
  • Develop and strengthen a more socially just and active labour market in Malta by sustaining availability and accessibility to quality ECEC services;
  • Ensure that these standards, focused on ECEC services for 0-3-year olds, are consistent with the overall framework for Early Years pedagogy (0-7 years) within the National Curriculum Framework (2012);

The DQSE appointed a reference group including practitioners and experts in the fields of ECEC
provision for under 3-year olds. This reference group provided initial feedback and independent
advice on the draft of the proposed standards prior to the wider public consultation exercise.


2.        Consultation Questions
 
General questions:

  1. Do you agree that the proposed standards reflect recent developments in Early Childhood Education and Care (0 - 3 years)?
  2. Do you see the link between these Standards and current National and International Policies?
  3. Do you think that with these standards we will be meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 4.2 target that all girls and boys have access to quality ECEC to prepare them (in a seamless way) for Primary Education?

​Questions related to Quality Area 1: The Quality of The Learning Environment 
4. Do you think that the document provides thorough guidelines as to what stakeholders should expect from a regulated Early Childhood Education and Care service?​

​Questions related to Quality Area 2: The Quality of Learning and Care​  
5. How much do you think that these standards safeguard inclusive approaches that will support every child's different needs and progress? 
6. Kindly include additional comments or feedback to explain your answer to Question 5.​


3.        Documents
 
4.        Submission of input
 
Submissions were sent in through the following channels:
Online form: English version​
By email:      childcarestandards.mfed@gov.mt  ​
By post:            Childcare Standards
                    Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education
                    Triq Joseph Abela Scolaro

    ​Hamrun


    HMR1304



Submisssions were received by 9 July 2021.                               
We thank you for your input.
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In addition, please be aware of:
 
·         Disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (Chapter 496)
As we are a public authority all documents we hold, including documents related to this public consultation process, may be released following a request to us under the Freedom of Information Act (Chap. 496), unless such request may be subject of an exemption arising from the same Act.

​​www.konsultazzjoni.gov.mt

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