DUSHANBE, December 15, Asia-Plus — New Tajikistan’s preschool education development strategy was discussed in Dushanbe Friday before the beginning of a two-day conference formally titled “Development of Preschool Education for 2005-2010.”
Ms. Yukio Mokua, Head of Dushanbe Office of UNICEF, noted that only 7 percent of children of preschool age have access to preschool institutions. “Since there is no opportunity to ensure that all the children attend kindergartens and daycare centers, UNICEF suggests that preschool education of children should begin in family,” Ms. Mokua said, pointed to the necessity of strengthening the preschool education development strategy.
According to her, parents could make considerable contribution to development of preschool education and UNICEF CO Tajikistan wants to conduct training seminars for them.
The UNICEF Dushanbe Office head noted that children could be educated in family within the framework of existing preschool education programs.
“We could enlist the services of non-government organizations and public institutions dealing with these issues,” said Ms. Mokua, “A board meeting of the Ministry of Education that was held last week discussed the preschool education issues and representatives from donor organizations that attended the meeting underlined the importance of elaboration of the preschool education development strategy.”
“We intend to support efforts of the Ministry of Education to successfully elaborate and implement the national preschool education development strategy,” the UNICEF Dushanbe Office head said, noting that Tajik Branch of Open Society Institute/Assistance Foundation (OSI/AF) is partner of UNICEF CO Tajikistan on this subject.
According to the Ministry of Education (MoE), 486 preschool, including 64 being under jurisdiction of the ministry, 8 private kindergarten and 11 daycare centers for children with physical disabilities, now function in Tajikistan.
