AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE AGE FROM ZERO (0) TO EIGHT (8) YEARS AS THE FIRST CRUCIAL STAGE OF EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of the Early Years Act (EYA) of 2013

Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- Promote the rights of children to survival, development and special protection
- Recognize the age from 0 to 8 years as the first crucial stage of educational development
- Age 0 to 4 years shall be the responsibility of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council
- Age 5 to 8 years shall be the responsibility of the Department of Education (DepED)
- Institutionalize a National System for ECCD that is comprehensive, integrative and sustainable
- Promote inclusion of children with special needs, provide reasonable accommodation and accessible environments
- Advocate respect for cultural and linguistic diversity, including Filipino Sign Language
- Anchor on complementary strategies for ECCD service delivery, parent education, community involvement, and awareness

Objectives (Section 3):
- Achieve improved infant and child survival rates by ensuring accessible health and nutrition programs (Section 3a)
- Enhance physical-motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, language, psychological and spiritual development of young children (Section 3b)
- Facilitate smooth transition from home to community/school-based setting and to kindergarten (Section 3c)
- Ensure young children are adequately prepared for formal learning system (Section 3d)
- Establish efficient system for early identification, prevention, referral and intervention for children with special needs from age 0 to 4 years (Section 3e)
- Upgrade and update capabilities of service providers and supervisors to comply with quality standards (Section 3f)
- Reinforce the role of parents and caregivers as primary caregivers and educators of their children, especially from age 0 to 4 years (Section 3g)
- Enhance and sustain community efforts to promote ECCD programs and provide special support for poor, disadvantaged and linguistic minority communities (Section 3h)
- Improve quality standards of public and private ECCD programs through registration and credential system for service providers and facilities (Section 3i)
- Ensure education of children who are blind, deaf or deafblind is conducted in appropriate languages, modes and means of communication (Section 3j)
- Employ qualified teachers, including those with disabilities, in sign language and/or braille (Section 3k)

Definitions (Section 4):
- Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System: full range of health, nutrition, early education and social services programs for holistic needs of young children from age 0 to 4 years (Section 4a)
- ECCD Service Providers: professionals, paraprofessionals and volunteer caregivers directly responsible for care and education of young children from age 0 to 4 years (Section 4b)
- ECCD Curriculum: developmentally-appropriate educational objectives, programs, learning experiences, materials and assessment for children from age 0 to 4 years (Section 4c)
- Parent Education: formal and alternative means of providing parents with information, skills and support systems to assist them as primary caregivers and educators (Section 4d)

System Framework and Components (Section 5):
- ECCD Curriculum focused on total development, age/individual/socio-cultural appropriateness, complementary and integrative services, child's first language as medium of instruction (Section 5a)
- Parent Education and Involvement, Advocacy and Mobilization of Communities to harness parents' strengths, active partnership, advocacy and support for ECCD programs (Section 5b)
- Human Resource Development Program for professionalization of ECCD service providers through education programs, training and continuing education, with registration and credential system (Section 5c)
- ECCD Management for planning, implementation, supervision, financial management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, involving service providers, parents and local officials (Section 5d)

Expanding the ECCD System (Section 6):
- The National ECCD System shall apply to all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays as determined by the ECCD Council to achieve universal coverage for all children from age 0 to 4 years

Implementing Arrangements and Operational Structures (Section 7):
- Implementation of National ECCD System is the responsibility of the ECCD Council
- ECCD Council responsible for establishing national standards, developing policies and programs, ensuring compliance, providing technical assistance and support (Section 7a)
- DepED, DSWD, DOH, NNC and ULAP shall coordinate technical assistance and support, with DepED recognizing ECCD Program as foundation of learning continuum (Section 7a)
- Local Government Units (LGUs) shall allocate funds from Special Education Fund (SEF) and Gender and Development (GAD) Fund for ECCD Program implementation, parent cooperatives, professional development of service providers, and facilities (Section 7b)
- Families and communities shall support local ECCD programs by participating in various community-based projects (Section 7c)

Strengthening the ECCD Council (Section 8):
- The ECCD Council shall be strengthened to ensure focus on building strong foundation for development and learning of children during early years from age 0 to 4 years
- The Council shall be attached to the DepED

Organization of the ECCD Council (Section 9):
- ECCD Governing Board composed of DepED Secretary (Chairperson), ECCD Council Executive Director (Vice Chairperson), DSWD Secretary, DOH Secretary, NNC Executive Director, ULAP President, and one private ECCD practitioner/expert appointed by the President (Section 9a)
- ECCD Council Secretariat headed by an Executive Director to provide support services (Section 9b)

Functions of the ECCD Council (Section 10):
- Promulgate policies and implement guidelines for ECCD programs in consultation with stakeholders (Section 10a)
- Establish ECCD program standards reflecting developmentally appropriate practices, interfacing with DepED kindergarten curriculum (Section 10b)
- Develop national system for recruitment, registration, accreditation, continuing education, equivalency, and credential system of ECCD service providers, supervisors and administrators (Section 10c)
- Develop national system of awards and recognition for ECCD program implementers and service providers (Section 10d)
- Promote, encourage and coordinate various ECCD programs of DepED, DSWD, DOH and NNC, and monitor delivery of services nationwide (Section 10e)
- Evaluate and assess impact and outcome of various ECCD programs nationwide through an effective information system (Section 10f)
- Develop national system for early identification, screening and surveillance of young children from age 0 to 4 years (Section 10g)
- Develop various support mechanisms that maximize public and private resources for implementing ECCD programs, prioritizing needy and high risk children from poor communities (Section 10h)
- Provide funds to poor and disadvantaged communities for establishment and expansion of public ECCD programs, improvement of physical facilities and hiring of service providers (Section 10i)
- Promote and encourage private sector initiatives for establishment of ECCD programs (Section 10j)
- Provide guidelines for solicitations from local and international civic organizations, and request private foundations to supplement resources (Section 10k)
- Perform other functions as deemed necessary by the ECCD Council (Section 10l)

Appropriations (Section 11):
- Initial implementation charged against current year's appropriations of DepED, DSWD, DOH and NNC
- Thereafter, sums necessary for continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA)
- Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation shall contribute 500 million pesos per year for 5 years from its gross income to fund establishment of National Child Development Centers and conversion of existing Day Care Centers

Financing ECCD Programs (Section 12):
- ECCD programs shall be financed through combination of public and private funds
- Public ECCD program providers shall prioritize children from age 0 to 4 years born to families in greatest need and who can least afford private programs
- DepED, DSWD and DOH shall provide financial and technical support packages to ECCD programs (Section 12a)
- LGUs encouraged to support public ECCD programs in their localities, with additional funds from intergovernmental donors and government financial institutions (Section 12b)
- Fund for ECCD Program Contracting Scheme with accredited private providers at community levels (Section 12b)
- Fees and contributions for public and private ECCD programs shall be monitored by ECCD Council to ensure affordability and reasonable limits (Section 12c)

Annual Report (Section 13):
- ECCD Council shall submit annual physical and financial reports to Congress at the close of each calendar year
- Reports shall include detailed account of proceedings and accomplishments, recommendations for improvement, and ensuring achievement of universal coverage of ECCD benefits to all children from age 0 to 4 years within 5 years

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 14):
- ECCD Council, in consultation with appropriate government agencies and nongovernment organizations, shall formulate and issue necessary rules and regulations within 60 days after effectivity of this Act

Repealing Clause (Section 15):
- Republic Act No. 8980 (Comprehensive Policy and National System for ECCD) is hereby repealed
- All laws, decrees, executive orders, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are repealed or modified accordingly

Separability Clause (Section 16):
- If any portion of this Act is declared unconstitutional, other parts or provisions not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect

Effectivity Clause (Section 17):
- This Act shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation