Early Childhood Care and Education Authority

Vision

Provision of quality early childhood education within a safe, inclusive and child friendly environment.

Mission

The ECCEA aims to provide equal access for all children to quality early childhood education including those at risk of delayed development and disabilities and those coming from conditions of vulnerability, through a child-centered and play-based approach, with the involvement of the parents. 

 Objectives

The objects of the Authority shall be:

(a) to harmonise and promote integrated early childhood care and Education policies, strategies and programmes in line with recommendations of international and national institutions;

(b) to ensure that all programmes and policies for the education, care and development of the young child in the Republic of Mauritius are in conformity with the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

(c) to help ensure a smooth transition of the young child from preschool to lower primary school.

Main Functions:

(a)  advise relevant Ministries on the formulation of policy relating to early childhood care and education;

(b) implement policies of Government with regard to early childhood care and education in the Republic of Mauritius;

(c) implement projects, programmes and activities on early childhood care and education initiated by the Ministry in collaboration with line Ministries, non-governmental organisations or local and international agencies;

(d) build partnerships at local, regional and international levels for the development of policies and programmes aiming at the social, emotional, cognitive, moral and spiritual development of the young child as well as for the promotion and development of education services;

(e) set norms and standards for play equipment, play materials, play space, furniture, books and children’s literature used by educational institutions;

(f) carry out the registration and supervision of educational institutions, their managers, educators and other staff engaged in early childhood care and education;

(g) advise on the development of training programmes on early childhood care and education for educators and other staff in educational institutions;

(h) administer payment of any form of grants to registered educational institutions and manage grants in collaboration with the relevant Ministries;

(i) take such action as may be appropriate, in collaboration with relevant line Ministries and authorities, to prevent any form of violence, including sexual abuse, negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, on young children.

(j) the Authority shall have such powers as are necessary to enable it to effectively attain its objects and discharge its functions and may, in particular, raise funds and secure financial and other support for its activities.