Yunnan Early Childhood Education Innovation Project (YECEIP)

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The objective of the Yunnan Early Childhood Education Innovation Project (YECEIP) for China is to improve the access and quality of ECE provision in the Project counties in Yunnan Province. The project has the following four main components: the first component being increasing access to ECE programs. This component will focus on: (1a) constructing and equipping 15 kindergartens across the seven Project counties with a total of 138 classes; (1b) constructing and equipping two university-affiliated research kindergartens in Kunming University and Zhaotong University with a total of 24 classes; (1c) piloting rural community-based ECE and parenting education centers in Weishan, Qiaojia, and Zhanyi counties; and (1d) constructing and equipping an early childhood special education center in Kunming University with six full-time special education classes and ongoing diagnosis and rehabilitation services for 0 to 6-year-olds with special needs. The second component is the improving ECE quality. This component will focus on improving the quality of ECE by: (2a) providing structured in-service training of all ECE teachers, managers, and staff; (2b) strengthening teacher education programs in the three participating universities; (2c) establishing ECE research/training centers; (2d) developing an online resource bank and platform for ECE teaching and learning; and (2e) providing a standard package of teaching learning materials in existing rural one-year preprimary classes. The third component is the creating an ECE enabling environment. This component has been designed to create a favorable policy and social environment conducive to quality provision of ECE services in the province through: (3a) developing and piloting ECE institutional quality standards; (3b) an information and advocacy campaign for ECE and scientific childrearing practices; and (3c) policy development on ECE. Finally, the fourth component is the project management and monitoring and evaluation.