Creating a Rainbow: Recommendations for developing efficient, feasible and sustainable early childhood care and educational reforms to promote the optimal development within preschool children in Sri Lanka

Decades of research conducted on child psychology has revealed Early Childhood as a critical period which creates a profound impact on the remaining developmental stages of the individual. Even though the government of Sri Lanka has taken several initiatives to provide quality services in the context of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCD) the national education systems still recognizes the child from five years and above. As a result, social, cognitive and emotional needs of the young children during this significant period, which are considered as critical, and contributing to their overall development seem to be somewhat neglected. The aim of the present paper is to review the available local as well as global policies on ECCD to provide recommendations for evidence based ECCD policy for Sri Lanka. It also provides recommendation for successful & organized policy implementations, advocacy and research for national/international ECCD partners providing ECCD services in Sri Lanka. These recommendations are based on careful evaluation of literature and author’s field experience as preschool teacher trainer, ECCD researcher and practitioner.