Elevating Early Education: Enhancing Quality and Professionalism in Palestine's Kindergarten Sector
Executive Summary
In 1994, the Palestinian Authority began developing the Education Sector in Palestine. In 2017, the Education Law mandated KG2 enrollment in the West Bank and Gaza. To accommodate the influx of students, 8 child centers and public KG classrooms were established. This led to a rapid increase in private KGs in Palestine. With many unqualified teachers in private KG classrooms, the Ministry of Education (MoE) prioritized training to improve teaching practices and knowledge. The MoE estimates that about 70% of private KG teachers lack formal training in ECE. In collaboration with The World Bank, the MoE developed a professional KG diploma, consulting with an international university and six local universities. The diploma focuses on ECE domains, such as child-centered approach, learning through play, and active instruction for literacy and numeracy. A KG teacher toolkit was also created to provide resources for implementing activities and lesson plans. The MoE maintains a rigorous KG quality assurance system to monitor the programme´s effectiveness.
Implementation
The Arabic curriculum consists of two semesters with 16 continuing education sessions each. A total of 32 continuing education units are completed, including 247 hours of practical training, accounting for 73% of the total time. The programme utilizes an integrative approach, teaching subjects within units or modules. The training units and vocabulary are up-to-date and developed according to international standards and Palestinian professional standards for kindergarten educators. Weekly sessions last for 5.5 hours, divided into theoretical lectures (4 hours) and practical activities (1.5 hours). Performance tasks are assigned and implemented by teachers in their own classrooms, with supervision from MoE KG supervisors through virtual and face-to-face meetings.
Stakeholders and partners involved
Targeting 1,000 KG teachers in the first and second cohorts. Ensuring programme sustainability by building the capacity of the national team in NIET and the MoE´s team in the Directorate General for Early Childhood. Partnering with national and international institutions to provide support, including: ANERA, World Vision International, UNICEF, RTM, Expressive Arts, Right to Play, Tamer Foundation, Teacher Creativity Center, World Bank Terre des Homes Italy, United Palestinian Appeal Foundation
Impact
The Professional KG Diploma consists of five modules covering various domains of early childhood education. These modules include child-centered approach, learning through play, socio-emotional learning, teaching literacy in KG using active instruction, and teaching numeracy in KG using active instruction.The programme aligns with the national strategy by: Enhancing the knowledge and skills of KG teachers through practical training and the exchange of experiences under the supervision of specialists from local universities and the Ministry of Education KG supervisors; Qualifying local professionals who understand the requirements of early childhood education, contributing to human development in Palestine; Meeting the society´s need for raising children according to Palestinian values and international standards; Equipping graduates with integrated theoretical knowledge and practical skills for effective early childhood education.

Innovations
Collaborative Approach for Early Childhood Education Development: Financial Support, Partnerships, and Teacher Development
Collaborative Approach for ECE Development:The MoE partnered with NGOs and the international community to maximize the impact of interventions by understanding the needs of the ECE sector and making the best use of available resources. This approach can be adapted for similar education sector challenges in other contexts. Key Factors for Successful Replication: Successful replication requires commissioning the right expertise, mobilizing adequate financial support, ensuring political stability, gaining government support, and establishing international partnerships. Raising awareness about the importance of such programmes is also crucial. Advancing Professional Development: The KG Teacher Professional Diploma: The KG Teacher Professional Diploma is a one-year in-service programme for unqualified private KG teachers in ECE settings. It covers key areas such as child-centered pedagogy, early literacy, socio-emotional skills, inclusion of children with disabilities, and stress management techniques, advancing the professional development process in the sector.
Constraints
Qualified human resources: Pedagogical challenges coupled with the lack of finding experts in the field of early childhood at local universities affect the quality of the pre-service programmes in those universities.
Free Education For ECE: closing the enrollment gap through public provision alone will require an unprecedented investment in KG2 infrastructure and a five-fold increase in the total salary outlay on KG teachers.
Lack of Data: lack of data is a key roadblock hindering sectoral and multisectoral ECD planning. Data on the utilization and quality of ECD services and the development of children is limited and fragmented across ministries.
Effective quality assurance system for KGs: Even though MoE has established quality standards for KG1-2, these standards are mostly geared towards the infrastructure of facilities and the curriculum, leaving behind critical dimensions of quality such as nurturing interactions between teachers and children. With the expected growth of KG services, strengthening the quality assurance function of MoE becomes critical.
To Implement Protective Policies, Improve Follow-up Mechanisms, Prepare Comprehensive Teams, and Leverage Support from Local and International Partners for Successful National Strategy Implementation
Provide policies that protect and ensure the implementation of the national strategy; Invest in the means of follow-up and supervision in the field to ensure the quality of implementation of existing programmes; Invest in preparing teams that serve all childhood needs; Benefit from the support programmes provided by local and international partner institutions to achieve the most significant possible benefit from this support