Assessment on the Importance of early Childhood Education

Fiji Islands, 2010

Compiled by Milika Waqanisau and

Analesi Tuicaumia

Aim of the Project• To provide a baseline about

the importance of the early years of life in rural and urban Fiji.

• To run workshops ,impart knowledge to address needs.

• Targeting parents to affirm their commitment and responsibility to their little ones

• To advocate on the importance of early years of life

• To collaborate with other organizations that deal or work with children's issues

How did you begin ?Who else was involved in what way

• Consultation with Dr Nin, and confirmed project with FECA president and the project officer of NationalECE curriculum. Also Tai district and village headman.

• Questionnaire designed and survey carried out ECE teachers in the village-helped with survey villagers age 18-50yrs .

• Phase 1,2,3 carried out• Advocacy work –During ECE week ECE teachers,23

rural kindergatens,parents&friends,National Youth band to lead march ,police, fire officers-display, Staff parents of Little-ones ,give away gift packs ,T shirts ,Helium balloons, etc. Local radio station &TVlive interview ,

• Support ‘Save the Children’ Under privileged community.

• City Festival-Festival committee, UNMDG’s,White Ribbon Project, Advocacy partners Pacific Island News Association-media partner, Parents& staff of few city EC centre who marched The wider community. Immediate family members,

What were some of the challenges you faced?

• Translation of questionnaire from English to Fijian. Not enough Fijian vocabulary.

• Worry that that our private school will be neglected as we are both out there in the field

• Miscommunication & misunderstanding, that led to delay of start of survey. As GL we come in MoE or community? –

• Village protocol, had to be observed- ‘sevusevu’. To await decision of 3 villages can be time consuming ,e.g. death.

• Long distance, consumes time & fuel.

What were some of the challenges you faced? (cont’d)

• Difficulty in analyzing data- • Not able to engage corporate business to help

with sponsorship..• Lack of media coverage for rural children• Disappointment in lack of commitment of

organization for rural children. • Financial constraints , even though you know

it’s the right time to ride the waves: festival• Lack of man power to help out. • Difficulty in meeting with Education advisor • Misunderstanding of our role as GL within

our organization contributed to lack of support

• Finding key people who are organizing events.

How were these addressed?• Request help from Dr Nin, our research advisor• Bought phone cards for our village contact .• Kindergarten parents out of interest helped us

out• We wrote to the organizations and told them our

disappointment, Police dog unit for not turning up.

• Sacrifice & just dig deep into pocket. Get as much help as you can

• Organize some volunteer and family members to help out .

• When we need confirmation had to go down to the villages ourselves .

• We sort help from other leaders within the ministry, and they were very helpful

• We worked with those who believed in what we are doing thus our 1st advocacy work was in a little rural town in Tailevu.

• Got in touch with influential people who have contacts

• Persist and not quitting is the way to go,

• Consulted other teachers to translate in the Fijian language.

• Appoint and hire more staff in our school to allow us to carry out the project .

• Convince the head of villages that will work with community banner, and not Education ministry

• Had to adhere and patiently wait to align our timetable to their schedule

• Have to be wise and plan to make trip worthwhile

What was the outcome?• Plan for advocacy, • in a rural setting town during the opening

of te ECE Week celebrations.• In Suva with Save the Children’s open day.• In Suva with the large gathering during

the Hibiscus Festival.• We use the opening day and had our

president for ECE interviewed appearing on the TV.

• A march was organized in the rural district where we conduct our survey in.

• We prepared banner and engage business media houses . Live coverage in the radio .for the District celebrations which include 26 kindergartens, 26 villages. Clown, national youth band community leaders, our centre teachers, parents and families.

Fireman, Dog unit display, face painting balloons etc. 8 is too late campaign. 3 Campaign 2 To join save the children celebration day. Organize tents, engage business houses and stakeholders

What was the outcome? (cont’)• Questionnaire was well understood• Research work was carried out • Data entered and analysed,phase 2 &3 was carried out.

Worked with Save the Children in their ECE week celebrationsNational campaign was to use Suva city festival- one week festival

• We establish the colour (Green and the slogan• We invited partners: The white Ribbon (MoH) , UN-MDG’s and

their media partner Pacific Island News Association• Advocated for a week at the Hibiscus festival among the

giants.• Organized march with other ECE centres in the city during

opening and closing of the festival• We persisted to see that the beauty contestant be asked

questions on Early care and education.• Float was organized, big crowd, wide TV coverage ,1st for Fiji• Climax was the 5 minute talk among reps of the

NGO’s ,ministers and Attorney General who represented the Prime Minister.

What did you learn about advocacy?

• Takes a lot of planning, and time to keep focus

• To take time to explain to our association about the project so they understand and support accordingly.

• Be consistent with the message and establish a color theme.

• Take interests in events that will enable you to take part in

• Influence people that can speak out about ECE

• If you are disappointed, stop, cry get over with and move on, look to those who believe in your work.

• Be smart and know how to raise enough funds before you start to avoid running out of money,

Lessons Learned-Advocacy (cont’d)

• Team work was important• You need to net work with

others to lighten the burden• Write down the name of your

organizations/ slogan/ color for others benefit.

• Secure more volunteers.• Get everything ready, banner,

printed materials, etc…when media is focusing on you even if it is only for a few seconds it is worth it.

• Go with the flow.

What did you learn about Leadership?

• Know when to lead and when to follow.

• Lead out in spotting out opportunities, where you can advocate.

• Know who will be your audience and prepare accordingly.

• Watch the news and programme and be well informed of what’s happening nationally, regionally or internationally.

• Single out people that lead organizations that you can involve to collaborate with you.

• Be always ready when opportunity comes for you to share, give your all.

• Listen to what others are saying.

Lessons learned about Leadership

• Be smart and know how to creatively design your advocacy material so you can make an impact on the people

• Value people’s contribution by thanking them at the end of an achievement.

• To be positive and take courage in what is ahead even though it is tough.

Conclusion

• Since our last trip to the World Forum in September 2009, some new grounds have been broken in Fiji.

1) Research 2) Advocating through local festival.

• New partnerships have been built that needs to be maintained and nurtured.

• We still have to get the corporate companies to sponsor more projects.

• These are the new champions that we have engaged and worked with:

– White Ribbon Campaign.(Ministry of Health)– UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Campaign– Pacific Island News Association – USP Psychology Students Association– Men’s Church Group/ Fellowship– Pacific Conference of Churches – Pacific Island News Association– Medical Students

• The climax was the launch of the MDGs Mini Pages Campaign on 7th September where we were given a 15 minutes presentation.

• Yet to be done• 18th September Stand up, Make Noise Campaign• When funding is available we would like to complete

our research work in the urban area which we were not able to complete.dur to this constraint.

• Most sincere thanks to The World Forum for the training, encouragement along the way and especially for funding this project, we have been empowered and lifted up to another level.