Early education key to recovery
In the small northern Croatian town of Orehovica, preschoolers get together twice a week to play and learn. The classes, which include children of Roma background, are full of energy. Activities adapted to everyone’s needs have created a sense of belonging for every child, regardless of their identity. The teachers are trained in inclusive education practices and know how best to support these young children before they enter primary school.
Most importantly, parents play a central role at the preschool and feel supported and valued. The positive impact on the children has spilled over into the local community and improved social cohesion.
The Orehovica program’s success underscores the longstanding truth that the period from birth to the age of five is vital to a person’s longterm development. The brain grows rapidly during this time, and develops important skills that influence our health, how well we do at school, and how good we are at our jobs. Access to highquality early education helps nurture these skills and can yield remarkable benefits.
Children disadvantaged as a result of disability, ethnicity, language, poverty, migration, or displacement not only are already disproportionately more likely to suffer from malnutrition and poor health, but are also more likely to be unable to access preschool education.
The preschool participation gap between children from rich and poor households is stark. In some African countries, it exceeds 60 percentage points. Ethnic gaps also can be large. In Greece, for example, only 28 percent of
Roma children are in pre-primary education, compared with an overall enrolment rate of 84 percent.
Access is only part of the picture. In the poorest countries, many preschools are underfunded and not equipped to provide high-quality inclusive education. Children need safe schools, engaging activities and support from adequately trained teachers to thrive, but too many early education environments ultimately fail them.
The coronavirus pandemic has worsened existing inequalities, making the case for an inclusive start in education even stronger. US First Lady
Jill Biden and the Duchess of Cambridge have championed the transformative power of universal early childhood care and education. To intensify efforts and galvanize cooperation, governments and international organizations will launch a new global partnership strategy on early education this autumn, with the aim of ensuring every child can go to pre-primary school.
It is vital that countries prioritize early education appropriately. They must ensure teachers are trained in inclusive education and that curricula take into account children’s diversity. More should be done to collect data on those excluded, and governments must increase investment in early education programs.
World leaders have repeatedly promised to “build back better” after the pandemic. When it comes to education, they need to get it right from the start.