I explored the UNESCO site for insight
about issues related to international Early Childhood. For the genuine interest
for young children 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. UNESCO works in partnership with member states
and other stakeholders to encourage implementation of policies. It organized
the first World Conference on ECCE in September 2010, which culminated in the
adoption of a global action agenda for ECCE called Moscow Framework for Action
and Cooperation: Harnessing the Wealth of Nations. It is important for young children to develop
to their fullest potential.
Learning begins at birth. UNESCO is working hard
among international countries to ensure that all young children have access to
quality early education, organized seminars and trainings in various nations of
the world to create access and equity.
In
1993, the heads of state and government of nine high-population countries –
Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and
Pakistan – launched the E-9 initiative aimed at achieving concrete
progress in basic education. The Initiative calls for the education ministers of these nine countries to meet
every two years to review their progress. The topic chosen for the 5th E-9
Ministerial Review Meeting, held in Cairo, Egypt, in Decembe2003, was early
childhood care and education (ECCE). This conference is important to me because I
live in Nigeria where there is no government subsidy for early education, and
quality that is accessible to the general population is very low. However, high
cost quality pre-school is a available for the rich and those who can afford
the huge cost.
One of my important goals
is to ensure that child care workers are trained and their training subsidized for
greater effectiveness. Only people who know can impact knowledge. Teacher
quality is crucial to quality programs. The ECCE workforce is often made up of
a diverse group of pre-school teachers, care workers, informal carers 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.
Another insight is the working relationship with Education
Ministers and policy makers in the countries with high population, to help them
recognize the strength of their nations.
Reference.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/
Mercy,
ReplyDeleteDid you see the information on EFA (Education for All)? I found this to be an interesting and informative discussion and there is a lot of review and research contained within the UNESCO website that is connected to the ECCE programs.
What kinds of things contribute to the low quality of the programs accessible to the general public? Is it more to do with low standards of care, low levels of training for the teachers or the large numbers of children or...?
I know we have mentioned before the terrible disparity between the "haves" and "have nots", how do you see ECCE helping to address this?
Hi Mercy,
ReplyDeleteI like your goal of making sure that those that work with children are trained so that they are equipped with the knowledge to help children have a positive learning experience. I would like to see in the future ECE teachers have a teaching credential so that they can not only be respected but that they are held to higher standards like elementary teachers. Also we need to continue to work on ways to help provide preschool for young children so that they can start building a strong learning foundation.
Mercy,
ReplyDeleteGreat post this week I was so excited about this website and all the information there was. You seemed to be headed in the right direction regarding your goals. You will be able to obtain those goals and many more. thanks for sharing.