幼托分立到整合──幼兒教育及照顧法的立法背景與變革

Legislative Background and Influences of The Early Childhood Education and Care Act

臺灣自1970年代以來幼教機構快速成長，幼兒接受幼托機構教育日益普遍，加上行政主管機關對於幼教機構採取偏向自由取向的管理方式，使得私立幼托機構數量日增，教保品質越受關切；其次，幼、托機構間差異益見模糊，幼托分立的正當性受到挑戰；再次，日本「幼托一體化」政策討論的間接促成，使幼托整合成為政策發展的主要走向。2012年《幼兒教育及照顧法》實施，改變了臺灣實施多年的幼托分立制度，幼托整合後的發展，關乎制度變革與幼教品質，勢必為幼教發展史上的重要里程。本文以該法的立法背景與變革為題，說明近年為推動幼托整合的政策背景與推動歷程；其次分析該法與歷次修正的內容與重點；最後，進一步評析該法施行後，提出對臺灣幼教發展的九項影響。

"Since the 1970s, the education of young children in kindergartens and nursery schools has become more and more popular in Taiwan. The administrative authorities have adopted free-oriented management approach for early childhood education institutions, which has led to an increase in the number of private early childhood education institutions and has made the quality of education and care more concerned. Secondly, the differences between kindergartens and nursery schools are blurred, and the legitimacy on the separation of kindergartens and nursery schools is challenged. Thirdly, Japan’s discussion on the policy of “Integration of kindergarten with nursery education” has indirectly contributed to the promotion of Taiwan’s educare integration policy. The implementation of “the Early Childhood Education and Care Act” in 2012, which has changed the separation system of kindergartens and nursery schools that has been implemented in Taiwan for over sixty years, and it is bound to be an important milestone in the history of the development of ECEC. This article takes the legislative background and reform of the law as the title, and explains the policy background and promotion process in recent years. After further evaluation of the implementation of the law, nine effects on the development of ECEC were proposed."