Investing in ECE
EDUCATION Ministry permanent secretary Selina Kuruleca makes a strong point that there is a need to accept, acknowledge and appreciate that Early Childhood Education (ECE) is where the hardest work is done.
Speaking during the UNICEF Pacific and PacREF-hosted regional ECE conference in Nadi yesterday, she said a lot of work needed to be done, starting with teacher training as well as providing the proper infrastructure and support for our children.
Over the years, the ministry’s budget, she noted, had always been top heavy as secondary and primary education were given more focus.
There is a need to get our foundation right, she said. While Fiji has done positive things in ECE, more needed to be done, she said, at the same time, acknowledging lessons that could be learnt from other Pacific Island countries.
She spoke about support for ECE teachers in terms of teaching resources.
UNICEF believes quality pre-primary education is the foundation of a child’s journey: every stage of education that follows relies on its success.
Yet, it states, despite the proven and lifelong benefits, more than 175 million children – nearly half of all pre-primary-age children globally – are not enrolled in pre-primary education.
It warned: Failure to provide quality early childhood education limits children’s futures by denying them opportunities to reach their full potential. It also limits the futures of countries, robbing them of the human capital needed to reduce inequalities and promote peaceful, prosperous societies.
In saying that, the Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University, in a brief on ‘The science of early childhood development’ states: The science of early brain development can inform investments in early childhood. These basic concepts, established over decades of neuroscience and behavioral research, help illustrate why child development — particularly from birth to five years — is a foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society.
Brains are built over time, from the bottom up, it states.
The basic architecture of the brain, it states, is constructed through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues into adulthood. Early experiences affect the quality of that architecture by establishing either a sturdy or a fragile foundation for all of the learning, health and behaviour that follow. In the first few years of life, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second.
In a world of digital transformation, and fast changing trends, we are left to ponder on the importance of education, and on the need for us to be aware of early childhood education.
We need to be aware of the importance of this part of the education process.
We need to appreciate that prioritising ECE isn't just about providing early learning opportunities. It could be an early investment in our nation’s future. Ms Kuruleca’s assessment about where the hardest work needs to be done must be carefully considered and factored into our education process and systems!