Hap pas Hapi Center (HPH Center)
 The mission of the Hap pas Hapi Center (HPH Center)
is to model and disseminate the democratic principles
in Albanian Early Childhood Education while paying
special attention to social and minority ethnic group
settings. HPH Center aims
to be an agent of change in the major process of integrating
the Albanian School into the European System of
Education, and to help the community recognize
their
own values in facing and promoting the democratic changes
to the benefit of their children and themselves.
The main activities of the HPH Center include:
- Consultation, training and technical assistance
on Early Childhood Development for caregivers,
teachers, parents, faculty members and students.
- Ongoing professional development for SbS teachers
and specialist in order to continually increase
the quality of care and education offered by
the program.
- Promoting professional information sharing
through publication of child-centered literature
for professionals at the creche, preschool, primary
and higher education levels.
- Evaluation and accreditation for SbS and other
child-centered kindergartens and primary schools.
Albanian professionals began implementing the
Step by Step program in Albania in 1994. Currently,
in 2002, the Step by Step network includes 108
preschool and 120 primary school classrooms, reaching
over 10,000 children and their families in 9 districts.
Teachers receive training in child-centered methods
at 7 model preschool training sites and 4 Teacher
Preparation Faculties; in 2001 over 1,100 professionals
received SbS child-centered training. The program
has been approved by the Ministry of Education
and Science as an alternative methodology for preschool
and as an experimental methodology for primary
school. The HPH Center is improving teaching methods,
school management and administration, student and
teacher evaluation, and community attitudes towards
preschool and school for young children in Albania.
HPH Center cooperates with:
- Ministry of Education and Science
- Local Education Authorities
- Institute of Pedagogical Studies and Teacher
Preparation Universities
- UNICEF Albania
- Plan International
- Catholic Relief Services
- Albanian Reading Association
- Save the Children Albania
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