UNICEF welcomes mandatory standards and regulations on pre-school education

UNICEF has welcomed the Government of Georgia’s adoption of the national mandatory standards and technical regulations on pre-school education.

The standards and technical regulations include the following measures:

Professional Standards for Caregiver Pedagogues;

The State Standards of Early and Preschool Education;

Technical Regulations on Organization of Nutrition/Meals and Establishing Nutritional Value Norms for Institutions;

Technical Regulations on the Rules of Observing Sanitary and Hygiene Norms at Institutions.

The elaboration of the national standards was the requirement of the Law on Early and Preschool Education that was developed with the support of UNICEF and adopted by Parliament last year.

“We do hope that the Government will soon approve the Technical Regulations for Buildings, Infrastructure, and Material and Technical Resources of Institutions as well as the Rule for Authorization of kindergartens that will ensure realization of the Law on Early and Preschool Education,” UNICEF wrote.

UNICEF stated that by the end of 2018 each kindergarten, state-run as well as private, will have to undergo authorization as per the new mandatory standards and provide technical support to relevant ministries to elaborate draft standards and technical regulations.

“The standards will promote establishment of child-centered educational process that supports children’s development in response to children’s interests and needs, the creation of safe and child-friendly environment; improvement of water, sanitary and hygiene conditions; provision of adequate nutrition for children,” UNICEF says.

UNICEF says that municipalities are responsible for ensuring implementation of the standards in preschools and they should allocate budget for 2018 and the following years.

Pre-school education and education in general is one of the key basements of a state’ development.

Unfortunately, Georgia has seen many good laws adopted without proper enforcement.

Georgia requires systemic education reform and qualified staff at kindergartens, schools and other educational institutions.

However, without reforms and training, the country will suffer from a permanent lack of qualified staff.