Learning stories from Rinpung Early Childhood Centre, Paro College of Education, Bhutan
A School of Education seminar presented on July 3rd, 2019 by Dr Margaret Brooks
Early childhood education was not really considered in Bhutan until around 2007. At that time, with funding from Save the Children, I began working with lecturers at Paro College of Education (PCE) to thread some early childhood theory and practice into their BEd(Primary). This work gave birth to a productive and collaborative partnership between PCE and the University of New England (UNE). In 2014 UNE and PCE again worked collaboratively to develop a three year Diploma in Early Childhood, an outline for a BEd in ECCD and a concept note for an early childhood demonstration school. This work is ongoing and now also involves the Ministry of Education, who have ambitious plans to provide early childhood programs for 100% of 3-5 year olds by 2030.
What could early childhood in Bhutan look like? A push down of the primary school program is not acceptable. Nor can a package, borrowed from another country, be inserted. Much hope, and expectation, is invested in their new demonstration preschool, Rinpung. There they have the autonomy to experiment, innovate, reflect on and evaluate different approaches to pedagogy. Rinpung has embarked on an ambitious journey to try and develop programming that is relevant to this unique population. To find a pedagogy that is meaningful and full of possibilities for the children of Bhutan. They are fortunate to have exceptional staff who are able to critically engage with contemporary theories and ideas and thoughtfully and creatively adapt them to their local context. From their efforts an ECCD program that is uniquely Bhutanese is beginning to emerge. It is through sharing some of their stories that I hope to illustrate the journey so far.
