Head of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus Dominica, Kimone Joseph has said that proper training must be provided for early childhood educators.
She was speaking at a Tree Planting and Tree Dedication ceremony held at the UWI grounds on Thursday.
According to her, within the last few years, UWI has revamped its early childhood care and development programme and has offered educators and child-care providers the opportunity to receive training within that field.
“We continue to maintain that early childhood education is the root of the entire education system, “Joseph stated. “What happens to a child at this early stage and the quality of educational experiences that they have at this time is crucial for the experience that they will have in primary, secondary, and tertiary education.”
She continued, “Early childhood educators need to be properly trained.”
Joseph describes Roseau Primary School’s invitation to join the tree planting ceremony as symbolic of the belief in the value of early childhood education and, “our commitment in ensuring that we continue to provide these opportunities for training and support.”
Childhood care and development is one thing, but at a later stage, the force feeding of subjects in readiness for the transition from primary to secondary school is another.
At the age of nine and ten, a child should be a child, and not a student sitting exams in Language Arts, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Science and Technology.
Perhaps the recently touted “Education Reform” will put an end to this form of child abuse.