From May 26-28, 2024, SEAMEO
CECCEP organized an activity to draft a policy brief addressing Holistic
Integrative Early Childhood Development (HI-ECD) with a focus on access to
education and nutrition services. The event was attended by various experts and
stakeholders, including SEAMES, Dr. Hasina Banu Ebrahim (UNESCO Co-chair for
Early Childhood Education, Care and Development at the University of South
Africa), Woro Srihastuti Sulistyaningrum, ST, MIDS (Deputy for the Coordination
of Quality Improvement of Children, Women, and Youth at Kemenko PMK), Dr. dr.
Herqutanto, MPH., MARS., Sp.KKLP (Director of SEAMEO RECFON), and Fitriana
Herarti (Tanoto Foundation).
The purpose of this activity was
to provide an opportunity to share best practices in implementing HI-ECD,
particularly in improving access to education and nutrition services in
Indonesia and its surrounding regions. Additionally, it aimed to discuss issues
related to the implementation of HI-ECD, especially regarding enhancing access
to education and nutrition services.
Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D, in her
opening remarks, shared best practices from educational institutions in the
Philippines. She mentioned that while some countries do not explicitly use the
term Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Development (HI-ECD), their
educational institutions have already implemented HI-ECD services. She added
that this activity was expected to formulate recommendations and solutions to
enhance HI-ECD access to education and nutrition services and gather input from
various stakeholders for the development of the HI-ECD policy brief.
In her presentation, Prof. Hasina
Banu Ebrahim emphasized the importance of universal access to early childhood
development programs for all children, prioritizing the most vulnerable
children to achieve the Social Justice Principles of Access, Quality, Redress,
Equity, Inclusivity, and Efficiency.
Woro Srihastuti Sulistyaningrum,
S.T., MIDS, stated that half of Indonesia's population consists of children,
making it crucial to create national policies and global commitments regarding
early childhood development. HI-ECD is a globally coordinated commitment,
involving all stakeholders, including government and non-government elements,
community organizations, and the business sector (Pentahelix). Strengthening
and synergistic coordination from the central to regional levels is essential
in achieving the desired quality of human resources, ensuring children are
healthy, intelligent, cheerful, and well-behaved, as well as receiving adequate
nutrition and quality education.
Dr. dr. Herqutanto, discussed the
Early Childhood Care, Nutrition, and Education (ECCNE) program or "Anakku
Sehat dan Cerdas," which aims to optimize the growth and development of
young children by strengthening integrated essential components, namely
caregiving, education, nutrition, and health through supportive environments
and parental involvement (parenting), with policy support and cross-sectoral
participation.
This activity was expected to
contribute significantly to drafting better policies to improve access to
education and nutrition services for early childhood in Indonesia. With input
from various experts and stakeholders, the drafted policy brief was anticipated
to provide practical and implementable solutions with a positive impact on
early childhood development.
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