NATIONAL VALIDATION WORKSHOP ON ECCD

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection through its Department of Children has organized a National Validation Workshop on the Draft Revised Early Childhood Care Policy (ECCD)

It was organized to afford key and relevant stakeholders brought from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to validate the draft revised policy to ensure a holistic and comprehensive policy for all Ghanaian Children aged (0-8). This will optimize the process, ensure quality, authenticity and reliability of the policy as well as ownership by key actors.

The revised policy is therefore structured in line with the Nurturing Care Framework to ensure effective implementation of programmes in all essential aspects

Addressing stakeholders at the workshop, the Ag. Director for the Department of Children, Mrs Florence Ayisi Quartey on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection denotes that the review was necessary as the previous policy was over a decade and half with an elapsed time frame.

She added that in response to the recommendation from the policy evaluation, the review was commissioned with the intent of making it more current to address implementation gaps as well as issues related to coordination and equitable ECCD service delivery to advance the welfare of children aged 0-8

Mrs Florence Ayisi Quartey noted that despite achievements in the ECCD sector, it has been estimated globally that about 43 percent of children below five years are not achieving their full potentials hence the need to intensify efforts to provide equal access to quality healthcare, nutrition, early stimulation and learning opportunities.

She commended stakeholders and partners especially UNICEF-Ghana, Children Believe and Action Aid Ghana for their valuable contributions, technical and financial support towards ECCD implementation in Ghana

Mr. Kofi Asante in a brief statement on behalf of the Deputy UNICEF Country Representative commended the Government of Ghana for its sustained efforts and commitment towards Early Childhood and its enhanced focus on the on the development of children across all sectors.

He tasked participants to create more opportunities and safe environment for children to maximize their potentials. “As we validate this policy, we should aim at setting the pace to prioritize and operationalize the strategies and promote ECCD across all sectors.

Mrs Esinam Kavi De Souza, Associate Country Director of Children Believe pledged her organization’s readiness to partner stakeholders to give children the needed resources to help them thrive at home and in their community.

The ECCD policy review process commenced in 2021 with key stakeholder consultations to ascertain priorities for ECCD implementation. This was followed by extensive stakeholder consultations involving national, regional and district level ECCD experts and practitioners.

MoGCSP