A small Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centre in Tashithang Chiwog, Umling Gewog, is helping children take their first steps towards formal education, despite having only nine learners enrolled.
The centre, established three years ago, caters to children from three villages in the chiwog. For families in the area, it provides young children with a space to learn, play and interact with others before they begin primary school.
The children spend their time taking part in games, learning activities and group routines designed to develop communication, social and basic learning skills. Even everyday activities are incorporated into the learning process. Before meals, for instance, the children gather for Tomchoe and prayers, helping them learn to participate in a group, listen to instructions and follow a routine.
For some families, however, getting their children to the centre requires considerable effort.
Leki Yangzom, the centre’s sole facilitator, said some parents walk for nearly half an hour to bring their children to the centre. Despite the distance, she said parents remain committed because they recognise the importance of early childhood education.
“The centre is quite far for some of the villages. Some parents walk for almost half an hour to bring their children here. But they understand the importance of ECCD and the difference it can make in their children’s lives. They have been very supportive of us and the centre,” she said.
That support extends beyond bringing children to class. Parents also contribute towards maintaining the centre and improving its facilities.
For parents such as Tashithang resident Pema Lhadon, the impact of ECCD can be seen in the way children communicate and participate in activities.
“We can see a lot of difference between children enrolled in ECCD and those staying at home. Children who have difficulty speaking up and stay idle change after going to ECCD. They learn to speak better and become active through different games and activities,” she said.
Such observations are also reflected in national findings. According to the National Education Assessment 2024, children who had attended ECCD centres performed significantly better academically than children who had not.
Early childhood programmes provide young learners with opportunities to develop through play, exploration and interaction with their peers. These experiences help strengthen language, motor, social and emotional skills while making the transition to primary school easier.
However, ECCD participation across the country remains relatively low. According to the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, the nationwide ECCD enrolment rate is about 39 per cent.
The ministry aims to achieve 100 per cent enrolment by 2030.
For Tashithang, the numbers may still be small, but for the nine children who attend the centre, the classroom is providing an early foundation for the much larger journey into school and learning.
