Sharing Web Resources

Week # 6 Blog Assignment: Sharing Web Resources

I have found it very interesting that on the international scene the discussion is very fervent about equity, access, quality, and investment and financing in the field of early childhood education. On exploring the UNESCO website, the area that I have decided to explore is under the caption “Early Childhood” and the four categories that are pertinent to what we are studying for this course include the following:

1. Access and equity

2. Quality

3. Investment and financing

4. Co-ordination and integration

In the light of all the above- mentioned categories, it is incumbent on every participating country to ensure that they expand “equitable access to quality early childhood” care. I wish to include at this point the passionate, urgent, plea for high quality education for the poor of other countries that has been taking place since 1990.

Access and equity

 

© UNESCO/Rocky Roe
Vulnerable children need equal access

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 favor 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 enrollment 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 universalisation with targeting can minimize inequity where governments aim for universal access among the target age group, but simultaneously prioritize the poor.

Quality

 

©UNESCO/Niamh Burke

Early childhood care and education programmes should emphasise 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 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. 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.

Investment and financing

©UNESCO/Laura Berdejo
Leififi kindergarten, Samoa

The greatest difficulty faced by countries in their efforts to expand and improve the quality of early childhood care and education is the mobilization of resources. This is particularly daunting in developing countries, where early childhood may be overshadowed by other pressing priorities, such as universal primary education.

Governments, if they deal with the issue at all, often approach early childhood from the context of national social policy or health services.

The 1990 Jomtien Declaration on Education for All (EFA), stated that countries should view early childhood as part of basic education. Once countries recognize the positive value of state investment in this area, the next challenge is to mobilize funds. In general, government funding for early childhood is extremely small. For this reason approaching the private sector (non-profit and for-profit) can be an effective strategy.

Private sector involvement using a market approach may also ensure services are delivered more effectively. However, governments must use complementary financing measures to ensure equity of access for poor and disadvantaged children, as a pure market approach to increasing the level of early childhood provision has been shown to favor the privileged, who can afford service.

Coordination and integration

©UNESCO/Gary Masters
Kindergarden in Kingston, Jamaica

Early childhood care and education is often the concern of several government sectors and usually these are education, social affairs and health. The multi-faceted nature of early childhood care and education gives rise to the challenge of effectively coordinating provision of policy development and implementation across the different sectors.

Coordination issues include coherent regulation, funding and staffing schemes and a common vision of care and education. Effective coordination must exist among sectors at both national and local level, and also between public and private establishments.

Cross-sectoral coordination is difficult, especially at the national level. It is one of the main challenges facing governments of both developed and developing countries trying to promote a holistic approach to early childhood. Responses vary and some countries have sought to remove the problem by integrating sectoral responsibilities into a single ministry.

Other countries divide sectoral responsibilities according to age range and services. For countries where the responsibility for early childhood is divided, policy and administration coherence are sought through coordination mechanisms (COMs). Generally, COMs are effective when they focus on a particular early childhood programme, target population or specific task but their role is limited in promoting a coherent overall policy and administrative framework across different sectors.

             The UNESCO website also offers information that adds to my understanding about equity and excellence in early care and education in very exciting ways. There is a new publication called “Journeys to School” that has piqued my interest. The image that is used on the front cover of the publication is not only interesting but captivating .It not only speaks to the struggles, hardships and dangers that children have to go through  in their daily lives to get an education, but also of their fortitude and resilience to overcome. Please click on the following link to see the picture and read the review of the book:

http://publishing.unesco.org/details.aspx?&Code_Livre=4973&change=E

The new insight that I have gained are that the fight cannot be over until we have all done our part to make education accessible and equitable for all children because it is our responsibility to do so.  UNESCO is also the lead Agency of Education for Sustainable for the United Nations decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) and Education for Sustainable Development requires far-reaching changes in the way education is often practiced today. You can read more by clicking on the following link:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-sustainable-development/

Reference

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/