At least 60 preschool development centers will be opened in Kyrgyzstan. Press service of the Ministry of Education and Science reported.
The ministry, with the financial support of the World Bank, reportedly launched Strengthening Foundations for Learning Project, which aims to expand the coverage of children by preschool education programs in rural areas, which lack preschool institutions.
«In the preschool development centers, children will be taught according to the basic and additional programs of development, training and education. In addition, the project provides for the introduction of the practice of reading books by parents to children. The centers will be provided with age-appropriate children’s literature and methodological recommendations for educators and parents,» the Ministry of Education noted.
The project will support opening of 60 pre-school development centers with short stay (3 hours) for children. These centers will be able to cover more than 3,000 children aged 3-5.
Within the framework of the project, premises for the centers will be renovated, conditions will be created for access to them for children with disabilities, sanitary and hygienic conditions will be provided, furniture, materials for games and development, and playgrounds will be provided. Currently, the Ministry of Education and Science is accepting applications from local governments for establishment of the centers.
«This format of coverage by preschool education is cost-effective compared to traditional kindergartens. Short-stay kindergartens will be organized in villages with acute shortage of kindergartens. There is no need to allocate financial resources from the republican budget for construction of new buildings. In case of short-stay kindergartens, local governments offer municipal buildings (not in disrepair) that are on their balance sheet,» the ministry said.
The Ministry of Education added that 42,000 soms are spent from the republican budget per child attending a standard kindergarten, and 11,000 soms will be required in short-stay kindergartens.
