Early Childhood Development Policy to be completed in few months

Chief Education Officer, Melena Fontaine has announced that in the next few months the Ministry of Education will see the completion and adoption of the Early Childhood Development Policy.

Fontaine made the announcement at an Early Childhood Development National Symposium held at the Arawak House of Culture on Friday.

She was delivering the featured address on behalf of Education Minister Petter Saint Jean.

“There is a strong political will and commitment for the business of Early Childhood Development. In the next few months with support from UNICEF we look forward to the completion and adoption of the Early Childhood Development Policy,” she said.

According to Fontaine the government will continue its work in providing access for early childhood education where there is none and will continue to give focus to curriculum implementation that is developmentally appropriate.

“We will also be giving focus to the 0-3 age group as we give attention to the Roving Caregivers Early Stimulation Programme and the expansion of the Early Childhood Development Unit,” she stated.

She stated further that while the Ministry of Education continue to establish community preschools at primary schools, “we are by no means putting an end to private initiatives.”

“In fact we want to encourage more private partnership in this venture,” Fontaine said.

She continued, “I must however remind you that your institutions must be guided by the standards of statutory rules and orders number 39 of 2003, which regulates what happens within our institutions.”

Fontaine explained that the first 8 years of an individual’s life is referred to as the foundation years, but the first 3 of these 8 years are the most critical.

“It is, therefore important that all stakeholders, parents, guidance, caregivers pay special attention to what we do with and what we say to our children in this developmental stage,” stated.

Fontaine encouraged expecting mothers to begin stimulating their children from the womb.

“Read to them, speak good words to them, bless them, sing to them, play music for them,” she noted.

She added, “For those of you who already have children, especially children who are within the foundation years, more so the first 3 years you also need to do the same.”

Fontaine told parents to be careful that the television does not replace them as a parent or guardian while their child remains in a crib.

“In other words, we are asking you parents, both fathers and mothers, guidance, babysitters at home, caregivers at our daycares and the general public to place emphasis on our children from 0 to 3,” she said.

Additionally Fontaine said, “let us rethink early childhood development, let us ensure that we stimulate these children in a positive way, we need to speak with them and not always to them, we need to play with them, sing with them, we need to read with them and provide them with stimulating toys.”

She believes that it is important to guard against the television and other tools of technology becoming the babysitter.

“While there is a place and time for them we need to limit and monitor the time that our children spend with these tools of technology,” she remarked.

Long serving early childhood educators were also awarded at the event.

Also there were performances from various preschools on island as well as a performance by teachers from various schools in the Roseau Central District.

The symposium was observed under the theme: “Rebuilding, Rethinking- Early Childhood Development.”