Development of children in their early years happens at multiple levels and is largely influenced by the people in their environment. Global evidence suggests that irrespective of whether or not children are enrolled in a formal setting, involvement of parents in their education plays a critical and positive role on their overall development. Learning activities performed in a home environment such as shared reading and storytelling not only improve children’s literacy skills but also provide the right stimulus they need for school readiness.
However, recent studies that tracked Mongolian young children’s development have shown that less than 10% of children aged 3-4 years meet the expected standards for literacy-numeracy skills and that a mere 58% receive responsive care from adults (source). These numbers clearly indicate that the culture and practice of engaging children in learning activities at home from a very young age are not common. Lorinet Foundation’s study on Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Mongolia has identified similar gaps that impede the holistic development of children.
Therefore, Lorinet Foundation is supporting the Asia Foundation ‘Let’s Read’ programme in Mongolia – a multi-year intervention started in mid 2021 and aimed at promoting reading as a critical tool for early childhood education.
The programme has four objectives:
- Increase the availability of high-quality Mongolian language children’s books
- Build awareness on the importance of reading with preschool-aged children among parents, caregivers, and teachers
- Increase the availability of reading events that model effective reading techniques and provide access to children in disadvantaged situations
- Support policy change to emphasize reading with children.
Let’s Read is aligned with Lorinet Foundation’s ECE Country Programme priorities. This entire theme is very close to our founder Bolor Lorinet, who developed a love for books at a young age and wishes that “every child grows up reading books so that they can dream about the world they want to live in and the people they want to become.”