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:
- Do you agree that the proposed standards reflect
recent developments in Early Childhood Education and Care (0 - 3 years)?
- Do you see the link between these Standards and
current National and International Policies?
- 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:
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.