Mongolian Development Center, Mongolia
About Mongolian Development Center
Mona Partner Since 2008
Collaborating closely with public kindergartens, the Mongolian Development Center (MDC) trains teachers and engages parents to implement its renowned “Hidden Gems” early childhood development program.
Rooted in the belief that every child possesses inherent goodness and potential, the curriculum uses workbooks, songs, and stories to teach children ages 2-5 to develop virtuous character. In working with 13 schools in 3 communities educating 2,551 students, MDC tailors its approach to each kindergarten based on their level of experience to ensure a dynamic and effective implementation of the curriculum across diverse educational settings.
The Challenge
Mongolia has made significant strides in primary school enrollment, but early childhood education remains a critical gap. One in five children aged 3 to 5 lack access to early learning services, and the quality of existing programs varies widely with little focus on moral education.
The Solution: MDC Programs
Hidden Gems Program
Pre-K Curriculum
The “Hidden Gems” course materials are for children ages 2 - 5 years old. They support character development at three levels with a focus on moral capabilities. The program includes children’s workbooks, a teacher’s manual, parents’ manual, display material with quotations, pictures illustrating moral capabilities, and a CD of songs and stories.
Teacher Training
The teachers study two main curricula: “‘The Teacher as a Model” and “Encouraging Children and Bringing Joy to their Hearts.”
“Educating our Children” is a training course for parents, which helps them understand that moral education is fundamental to all branches of education and to reflect on their attitudes and practices in the education and discipline of their children.
How we help
Mona Foundation believes that teacher training and continuous learning are at the core of creating healthy and productive learning environments, particularly in the early years of life. For this reason, Mona has been supporting the Mongolian Development Center's early childhood education program since 2008. We are now beginning to see how early childhood education is being transformed and practiced in Mongolia.
2025 Achievements
- 2,551 children ages 2–5 reached through the Hidden Gems character development curriculum across 13 kindergartens
- 70 teachers trained
- A
16th kindergarten
transitioned to independent implementation, demonstrating the program's sustainability
2026 Plans, $80,000
- Serve 2,337 children through 196 teachers across 16 kindergartens
- Pilot primary school teacher training to ensure continuity of character development as children transition from kindergarten, training 20 teachers
- Launch quarterly public engagement initiatives including podcasts and community discussions on the purpose of education
Updates
Toddlers caring for each other
January 2024 - The Hidden Gems program helps children learn to care for themselves and each other. In a country where the shortage of kindergartens results in high student-to-teacher ratios, teachers are often challenged to provide individualized attention. The following anecdote from a teacher involves 3-year-olds:
"During a choir performance in the music hall, two children suddenly went missing and couldn't be located. In my search for them, I entered the classroom and was pleasantly surprised to witness a girl assisting a boy who struggled to put on a tie and a shirt with many buttons. Despite my initial nervousness due to limited time for individual attention, it was heartwarming to observe the children taking the initiative to care for each other."
Collaborating to Raise Quality
Mongolian Development Centre has created a strong network of teachers and schools that share and reflect on their growing experience to continually improve the quality of the program. The young teachers taking the Hidden Gems training are enthusiastic about the curriculum.
“First of all we need to change our mindset. We have many things which we know but never put into action. I learned many skills and methods such as how to help children become active members of the society, how to correctly work with each individual child, and ways of encouragement and conversing with them. This training is real encouragement for new teachers who have just started working as teachers. The training was very different than other trainings in which we participated. For example, all teachers were able to participate and that helped us to learn to work as teams. I was inspired to learn more and I will work hard to become a better teacher.”
An Impact Story
A kindergarten teacher asked the students to draw children on the white board. One girl began to cry, explaining that she did not know how to draw kids. Rather than responding right away, the teacher gave space for the children to help each other, trusting in their capacity to be compassionate and helpful.
The boys sitting next to the girl were concerned for their friend, helped her draw a dress and head, and then said, “You can draw the arms and legs.” The girl, feeling encouraged, drew the arms, legs and added hair. All the children were happy when she finished her drawing.
Stories of Transformation
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