Cambodia launches action plan for early childhood care, development

Cambodia on Monday launched a five-year policy and action plan for early childhood care and development with an aim to increase enrollment and enhance protection for children aged less than six years old.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the plan, which was estimated to cost 56.5 million U.S. dollars, would be valuable contribution to the government's efforts to bring about socio-economic development. "The new national policy and action plan is another pride of the government, reflecting its full support and cooperation aimed to enhance child welfare and ensure basic rights of children, including right to life, right to protection, right to development and right to participation," he said at the ceremony, which was attended by some 1,500 educators, health officials, and concerned stakeholders. "I fully support every activity in Cambodia aimed to address the urgent needs of the children such as the provision of care, protection and education service," he added.

The prime minister also appealed to officials and stakeholders to pay constant attention to early childhood development, especially for the disadvantaged, vulnerable and minority ethnic children, and children with disabilities.

According to the World Bank estimate, the number of Cambodian children aged between zero and six years is between 361,000 and 1. 61 million or 11 percent of the total population.

Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said some 33 percent of children aged between three and five years are enrolled in early childhood education and the action plan would increase early childhood education.

"Evidence shows that the economic return on early childhood care and development far exceeds the return on other projects that are funded as economic development," he said. "For every one U. S. dollar spent on early childhood care and development, the return could be as much as seven U.S. dollars in terms of enhanced learning capacity, work productivity, physical and mental well- being and reduced crime."

Cambodia is one of the first countries in the ASEAN that established the national policy and action plan on holistic early childhood care and development. The plan will focus on parenting education, early stimulation, nutrition, health, preschool education and sanitation.

According to Hang Chuon Naron, about 40 percent of children under six years are stunted, 28 percent are underweight and 11 percent are wasted.

"Cambodia considered as one of the countries with highest child stunting rate in the region," he said, adding that malnutrition is implicated in more than 6,400 child deaths annually.