Early
childhood is defined as the period from birth to eight years old. A time of
remarkable brain growth, these years lay the foundation for subsequent learning
and development. UNESCO advocates for Early
Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programs that attend to health, nutrition,
security and learning and which provide for children’s holistic development. After viewing the UNESCO website there were many insights gained about issues related to international early childhood education that relate to
my professional goals.
Early childhood
care and education programs should emphasize the child’s holistic development
and extend beyond assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. High
quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds,
promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and
school readiness.
There are no
universally agreed criteria for quantifying ECCE quality but useful factors to
consider include pedagogy materials, personnel training, service setting and
parental education and involvement. Learning materials should be
quantitatively, culturally and developmentally adequate and focus on child-centered
interaction. Where appropriate curricula exist, there can be problems with
implementation with the emphasis remaining on early primary education and
preparation for formal schooling due to pressure from parents and the fact that
it is easier for teachers than child-centered learning.
The ECCE
workforce is often made up of a diverse group of pre-school teachers, care
workers, informal careers and other professionals. Adequate training and work
conditions are essential so they can integrate the content and practice of
early childhood care and education and address the transition to formal
schooling. The service setting and physical infrastructure may vary greatly
within countries. Regular inspection and follow-up of the service setting as
well as adequate health and nutrition components are also crucial for
meaningful learning to take place.
Where government
resources are limited, the last year of pre-primary education is frequently
placed in a formal school setting or there may be efforts to lower the entry
age. Such trends dilute the importance of holistic development by placing too
much emphasis on preparing children for formal schooling. However, when
pre-primary education cannot be afforded as part of early childhood, it is more
strategic to consider ways of improving the pedagogy of pre-primary education
placed in the formal school setting.
Active
involvement from parents and communities and relevant play and learning
materials ensure that early childhood services remain relevant to the needs of
the children and all other stakeholders and increases sustainability.
The 1990 Jomtien
Declaration for Education for All stated that learning begins at birth. A
decade later, the 2000 Dakar Framework for Action reaffirmed the importance of
early childhood by including the development of early childhood care and
education as the first of its six main goals.
Participating
countries committed themselves to “expanding and improving comprehensive early
childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and
disadvantaged children.” Governments were particularly urged to expand
equitable access to quality early childhood services underscoring the
importance of instituting policy in favour of the poor.
Countries often
promote alternative services for poor children with limited or no access to
mainstream early childhood services which can be cost-effective and
pedagogically innovative, but often raise concerns about sustainability and
quality. In cases where the government has limited resources, a pro-poor
policy can redistribute resources by reducing state support for the more
privileged.
Central
governments must ensure an equitable distribution of resources among different
populations and especially those who live in the most disadvantaged regions.
This approach aims to expand access without creating serious regional
inequities. However, where there is universal provision for a certain age group
while the overall enrolment in other age groups is low, this policy can create
inequity.
Privileged
children of the target age group benefit from state investment, while poor
children of non-target ages receive scant government attention. A policy
of universalization with targeting can minimize inequity where governments aim
for universal access among the target age group, but simultaneously prioritize
the poor.
Reference:
www.unesco.org
www.unesco.org
