DAWA ZANGMO | Thimphu
The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) says Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centres can adjust their operating hours based on local needs, provided that the quality, safety and developmental needs of children are maintained.
MoESD minister Yeezang D. Thapa said the ministry recognises the important role ECCD centres play in supporting children’s holistic development as well as working families.
Under the existing ECCD Centre Guidelines, centres are required to operate for at least five hours a day, from Monday to Friday. However, the minister said facilitators’ responsibilities extend beyond the hours they spend directly interacting with children.
“ECCD facilitators are expected to spend approximately three additional hours each day on planning, preparing learning materials, assessing children, maintaining documentation and engaging with parents,” Lyonpo Yeezang D. Thapa said.
She said this non-contact hours are necessary for facilitators to prepare for their work and ensure the delivery of quality early childhood care and education.
The guidelines, however, provide flexibility for centres to respond to the needs of individual communities. According to the minister, where there is a clear demand for longer operating hours, the Centre Management Committee can review the situation and approve adjustments.
Such decisions, she said, are expected to take into account the needs of parents, the welfare of children, availability of staff and the capacity of the centre to maintain quality services.
The ministry continues to review ECCD services through regular assessments and feedback from stakeholders. As the demand for ECCD services changes, the ministry said it will continue assessing existing operational arrangements and consider appropriate measures to better support working families.
The minister said any changes to ECCD operations would need to ensure that children’s safety, quality of care and developmental needs remain a priority.
For parents with fixed working schedules, the current operating hours can sometimes create difficulties in arranging childcare before and after ECCD sessions.
Kinley Wangchuk, a civil servant and father of an ECCD-going child, said parents who are required to report to work early and remain at their workplaces until the afternoon may face challenges in managing childcare.
He said greater flexibility in ECCD operating hours could help working parents manage their childcare responsibilities alongside their work schedules.
“Both parents may have to report to work early and stay at work until the afternoon. Having some flexibility in ECCD operating hours could make it easier for working parents to arrange childcare,” he said.
Kinley Wangchuk said the flexibility already provided under the ECCD guidelines could be useful in communities where parents have a clear need for extended hours.
However, he said any adjustment should continue to ensure that children receive adequate care and learning support.
For parents working in professions with fixed or extended hours, arranging childcare outside ECCD operating hours can also be difficult.
Sonam Wangmo, a health worker and mother of an ECCD-going child, said the nature of her work can sometimes make childcare arrangements challenging.
“As a health worker, my working hours can sometimes be demanding. ECCD services should consider the needs of working parents, particularly in places where there is a clear demand for extended operating hours,” she said.
She said any consideration of extended hours should also take into account the needs of children and the responsibilities of ECCD facilitators.
According to Sonam Wangmo, children should continue to receive adequate care, while facilitators should have sufficient time to prepare learning activities and carry out other responsibilities associated with their work.
Private-sector employees also face challenges when their working hours extend beyond regular office hours.
Karma Dendup, a private-sector employee and father of an ECCD-going child, said flexible ECCD operating hours could provide additional support to parents whose work schedules do not align with regular centre hours.
“Parents have different working schedules, and when working hours extend beyond the ECCD centre’s operating hours, it can be difficult for parents to pick up their children on time,” he said.He said the possibility of extending operating hours could be considered according to the needs of individual communities.
However, he said such arrangements should be made without compromising children’s welfare, safety and developmental needs.
The concerns raised by parents come as the ministry continues to review ECCD services and the arrangements under which centres operate. While the existing guidelines set a minimum operating requirement, they also allow Centre Management Committees to consider adjustments where there is a demonstrated need.
The ministry said decisions on extended hours should consider parental requirements alongside staff availability and the ability of centres to sustain quality services.
The three parents said flexibility in operating hours could help families manage childcare arrangements, particularly for those working in professions with early starts, fixed schedules or extended working hours.
At the same time, they stressed that any changes to operating arrangements should ensure that children continue to receive appropriate care and learning opportunities, while ECCD facilitators retain adequate time for preparation, assessment, documentation and engagement with parents.
The ministry said it will continue to monitor ECCD services through regular reviews and stakeholder feedback and assess operational arrangements as demand evolves.
It remains committed to exploring appropriate measures to support working families while ensuring that the quality, safety and developmental needs of young children remain central to ECCD service delivery.
