ECCD admission not based on income

The Ministry of Education, Skills and Development (MoESD) has clarified that admission to government run Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centers is open to all children aged 3 to 5 years, with no preference based on family income.

“The principle of equity is at the heart of our approach. All children have the right to access early learning opportunities, and family income is not a factor in admissions,” said the Director of the Department of School Education. 

MoESD said that enrolment in ECCD centers is managed locally by Dzongkhag and Thromde education offices, which allocate seats according to demand and available capacity. 

Under the 13th Five-Year Plan, MoESD is working to expand ECCD coverage, recruit and train more facilitators, and introduce community-based and flexible learning models to reach more children.

Currently, only 39 percent of children are enrolled in ECCD programs nationwide. “Our goal is to achieve 100 percent enrollment, so every child can benefit from quality early learning.”

Some parents raised concerns that government run ECCDs primarily admit children from low-income families.