Mobile early childhood education service in remote rural communities

UNICEF is supporting summer education programs for the children of remote herder communities. This year, over 200 children from Altanbulag, Bayantsogt, and Bayankhangai soums in Tuv aimag, and Erdenedalai soum in Dundgovi aimag, are participating in summer mobile kindergartens and the "Teacher with a Tablet" program. 

To send their children to the mobile kindergartens, parents transport them daily by car or motorcycle from distances ranging from 10 km to as far as 32 km.  

"We bring our daughter, E. Odgerel, from over 10 km away. We'll go any distance for her development. Distance doesn't matter as long as she's learning something," says S. Byambasuren, a herder from Erdenedalai soum. 

Mostly, children who have not had access to preschool education attend these mobile kindergartens. There, they learn self-service, self-expression, social interaction, cooperative play, group learning, and proper eating habits.  

"My son, T. Tugsbileg, is 4 years old. Attending the summer mobile kindergarten has helped him socialize. It's wonderful to teach children this way," says B. Erdenetuya, a herder from Erdenedalai soum. 

Teachers proudly report that the children are making friends, learning many things together, eating nutritious meals, and playing outside, which helps expand their minds and improve their social, intellectual, and physical development. 

This year, the kindergarten in Altanbulag soum of Tuv aimag is operating in a mobile trailer for the first time, which locals see as advantageous. The trailer is resistant to rain and wind and easy to move, ensuring the children's safety and saving the teachers and staff time and effort. 

"Herder work never ends. It's so nice to send my child to kindergarten during the day without worrying. It would be great if this happened every year," says T. Ariun-Erdene, a herder from Zamt bag in Altanbulag soum and mother of 4-year-old O. Tsaschir.

One of the alternative education programs supported by UNICEF for the development of herders' children is the summer mobile kindergarten. Under the "Teacher with a Tablet" program, kindergarten teachers travel to remote herder households, providing preschool education to young children and their parents using tablet-based learning materials, guiding them in living and learning practices.

In the coming years, UNICEF will work to expand the "Teacher with a Tablet" program and the summer mobile kindergarten services to support the development and education of young children in remote areas, ensuring the involvement of both the public and private sectors.