BEST START FOR CHILDREN: COMMUNITY BASED PRESCHOOL HOME-BASED AND CENTER-BASED PROJECT

In 2018 the Community Based Preschool Project continued to collaborate with the communities in supporting a total of 123 community preschools (68 Centre-based and 55 Home-based) in Ermera and Viqueque. The centres run three days a week facilitated by preschool trained facilitators with support from parents and School Management Committees. During the year there were 3,136 children compose of 1,598 girls and 1,538 boys access to Alola community preschool in Vikeke and Ermera.

Early 2018 10 Field Officers were recruited in order to support the existing community based preschools in Ermera and Viqueque. The Field Officers are originally from the refer municipality which comprise of 5 Field Officers were placed in Ermera and 5 others were placed in Viqueque. The Field Officer has been supporting the facilitator on developed lesson plans, develop teaching and learning activities. Another support given by Field Officer to facilitator was evaluate the progress and identifies the challenge faced by centre involves    parents, facilitators and school management committees.

To increase the School Management Committees – SMC ability to manage the preschools, Fundasaun Alola had delivered training with the topic roles of SMC’s, community mobilization, importance of education and other relevant topic. The training has increased the understanding of participant around 181 (M: 139, F: 32) on the SMC’s Roles and responsibilities, importance of early education, community mobilization has increased. The training had attended by SMC members from across Ermera and Viqueque.

In 2018 there were 10 new centre based preschools has established (Ermera 9; and Viqueque 1).  The community preschool has been contributed to the increased number children readiness to school and    improvement of children ability on literacy and numeracy. Moreover, it has been accommodate 3,036 children and out of the total children attended 874 (Ermera 425, Viqueque 449) children have graduated and continued to primary school.

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