A MODEL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER: CHONBURI LOCAL ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION

Abstract

            This research was to investigate a model of implementing the Early Childhood Education in the Child Development Center in Chonburi Local Administration Organization through applying a qualitative method as a guide for conducting the research and its data collection. Eight City Municipality Child Development Centers, five Town Municipality Child Development Centers, five Sub-district Municipality Child Development Centers, five Sub-district Administration Organization were selected. The key informants were those involved with implementing the Early Childhood Education in the Child Development Center in Chonburi Local Administration Organization. They were divided into four groups. The first group pertained 20 administrators from the Chonburi Local Administration Organization. The second group included 40 committee members of the Child Development Centers. The third group contained 60 personnel of the Child Development Centers. The fourth group engulfed 60 parents. The qualitative data were gathered from the in-depth interview, the focus group discussion, and the secondary data and were analyzed through content analysis with contextual unit.

            This research revealed that there are seven factors in the model of implementing the Early Childhood Education in the Child Development Center in Chonburi Local Administration Organization. They involved having the ad hoc responsible agency, having standards in building collaboration with the network, being supported on schooling for the local communities, budgeting allocation, decentralization of schooling, evident rules and regulations and mechanism to drive the policy. These were the significant factors linking the process of constructively implementing the policy in the areas.