Minister Narumon led the Early Childhood Board meeting to urgently integrate children's databases to reduce duplication, elevate the Thai Triple-P program to develop parenting skills, advance care for special needs children, and update early childhood laws.
On 21 Jan 2025 GMT+7, Mrs. Narumon Pinyosinwat, Minister of Education, stated she was assigned by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Gen. Thammanat Prompao, to chair the third 2025 meeting of the Early Childhood Development Policy Committee. The meeting, held at the Kamhaeng Plangkoon Meeting Room, 3rd floor, 56th Anniversary Building, Office of the Education Council Secretariat, Bangkok, included committee members and experts. Key discussions involved progress on creating an integrated early childhood information database. This database gathers data from all sectors working with early childhood development to allow comprehensive monitoring, reduce data collection duplication, and importantly, support state security. The goal is to inform inclusive and equitable policies covering children from birth through basic education completion. The Education Council Secretariat is linking early childhood data from civil registration, including birth and stateless person registries, in two phases: a quick-win phase mapping existing Education Ministry data with the Department of Provincial Administration and related agencies, led by the Education Ministry; and a long-term phase linking data primarily from updated civil registries for newborns. This proposal is currently under Cabinet consideration.
Additionally, the meeting approved advancing parenting skill development for early childhood by assigning the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health, to develop the Thai Preschool Parenting Program (Thai Triple-P). This program supports mental health in remote areas under the Royal Project of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, with plans to expand nationwide. Collaboration with the Teachers' Council Secretariat will develop an e-Learning curriculum for early childhood and kindergarten teachers. This initiative aims to enhance teachers' knowledge, skills, and competencies in child care and to provide nationwide access to basic understanding of early childhood parenting.
Regarding review of services for early childhood suspected of developmental and learning disorders, it was proposed that the committee implement measures to accelerate policy adjustments for services addressing children with special needs. This includes ensuring children in all age groups receive monitoring and developmental screening, with all children suspected of disorders assessed within one month by trained professionals. Continuous support and stimulation will be provided, along with a service system for children suspected of disorders. The meeting also endorsed the '3 Accelerate, 3 Reduce, 3 Increase' policy, emphasizing research on physical activities in children and youth. Findings highlight the need for administrators, caregivers, teachers, and parents of child development centers to develop positive attitudes toward physical activity and appropriate activity planning. Guidelines will be established to enhance understanding and implementation of physical activities in children, setting standards for early childhood development centers. The committee assigned the subcommittee on law and rights protection to take proposals, issues, and practical limitations from the evaluation report of the Early Childhood Development Act B.E. 2562 to improve legal provisions and operational mechanisms for greater efficiency," said the Minister of Education.