(Barbados). 134p. - ERIC · DOCUMENT RESUME. ED 419 577 PS 026 264. AUTHOR Lundy, ... Eden Lodge Nursery ... Gordon Greenidge Primary Hindsbury Primary …

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 419 577 PS 026 264

AUTHOR Lundy, ChristineTITLE Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education (2nd,

Dover Convention Centre, Barbados, April 1-5, 1997). SummaryReport.

INSTITUTION Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs, and Culture(Barbados).; United Nations Children's Fund, Christ Church(Barbados).

PUB DATE 1997-04-00NOTE 134p.

PUB TYPE Collected Works Proceedings (021)EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Change Strategies; *Early Childhood Education; Educational

Finance; *Educational Improvement; Educational Policy;Educational Quality; Foreign Countries; Government Role;Integrated Activities; Policy Formation

IDENTIFIERS *Caribbean

ABSTRACTThe objectives of the Second Caribbean Conference on Early

Childhood Education included: (1) setting a framework for the development ofearly childhood programs in the Caribbean; (2) initiating a Plan of Action toaddress early childhood issues in the Caribbean in terms of policy,structure, and implementation; and (3) facilitating the networking of earlychildhood education professionals. Following an introduction outlining thecompanies aims and objectives, the sections of the report are: (1) "The Valueof Early Childhood Education and Development--the Case for Investment"; (2)

"Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean"; (3) "A Quest for Quality";(4) "Integrated Approaches"; (5) "Mobilizing Support"; and (6) "The NextStage." The report's appendices contain a Caribbean Plan of Action, anadopted resolution, a situation analysis, list of conference documents, listof participants, and the agenda. (EV)

********************************************************************************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

* from the original document. *

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.

Minor changes have been made toImprove reproduction quality.

1 Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position or policy

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS

BEEN GRANTED BY

TO THE EDUCATIONAL :1ESOURCESINFORMATION CENT 1 (ERIC)

1

2nd BB CON FE. 1\ CF, ONCHILDHO to EDUCATION

1-5 April 1997BEST COPY AMIABLEBarbados

Ministry ofEducation, Youth Affairs

and Culture,Barbados

liNESCOunicefeUnited Nations Children's Fund

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary ?'port

2nd CARIBBEAN CONFERENCE ONEARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Dover Convention Centre, Barbados

1-5 April 1997

SUMMARY REPORT

Prepared byChristine Lundy, Consultant, UNICEF CAO

for Organising Committee

Edited and prepared for publication byOrganising Committee and UNICEF CAO

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education (Summary 9epori

INDEX

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction 1

The Value of Early Childhood Educationand Development - the Case for Investment 5

Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean 11

A Quest for Quality 13

Integrated Approaches 19

Mobilizing Support 22

The Next Stage 26

Appendices

Appendix I: Featured Address 29

Appendix II: Plan of Action 29

Appendix III: Resolution Adopted 57

Appendix IV: Situation Analysis 62

Appendix V: List of Conference Documents 97

Appendix VI: List of Participants 99

Appendix VII: Agenda 107

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary %port

PREFACE

As we move into the 21st century, I firmly believe that the future of the Caribbean has to be positioned within thesphere of knowledge-based and skills-intensive industries. Technology, for the most part, has made size andgeography irrelevant. Today, access to the requirements for participating in a knowledge-based and skills-intensiveeconomy is not as capital intensive as participation in mining or other areas of heavy manufacturing. If we are to trulygain prominence, in terms of our capacity to occupy centre stage in the global economy and global society, and ifwe are to give back some of what we have received, then it is only through our people that this will happen but onlyif we are capable of preparing our people today, for the challenges that lie ahead tomorrow.

It is a fact that the situation in respect of post-Lome IV come the year 2000, remains uncertain to the Caribbean. Itis also a fact that the prospect of joining a free trade association of the Americas, come 2005, is one that has manyimplications for early childhood educators today, because it is the generation who will be coming into their own in2010 and 2015 that will ultimately determine our capacity to have sustainable growth in this region. If we accept thatthe days of preferential quotas and subsidies are a thing of the past for the Caribbean, then we must also accept thatour people must become competitive in any sphere and every sphere, and at the same time, must be equally and readilyre-trainable at all stages in their development.

That therefore requires a commitment to ensuring a sound foundation in respect of our children and there is aninextricable link in terms of that vision and what we do today. This is why the theme of the Conference "TomorrowBegins Today" was very apt to national programmes and visions in this regard. From the very outset, the presentGovernment of Barbados linked its vision for development, to its capacity for improving the quality of educationobtained by its people. We also had to ensure that the house was built on solid rock! Consequently, the first two yearsof this Government's educational reform measures have been geared towards the early childhood and primary levelsto ensure that the investment our Government is making at the secondary and tertiary levels, is indeed maximised.

I am pleased to say that the Plan of Action for Early Childhood Care, Education and Development, developed at theConference, was readily endorsed by the CARICOM Standing Committee of Ministers of Education in May 1997. Thesector was identified as an essential "engine of change" for preparing this region for the next millennium and it isin this context, that the sector will be considered by CARICOM Heads of Government at their July 1997 Summit inJamaica, during a special session on human resources development.

The Plan is flexible enough to allow countries to complete their own information needed for effective planning andfor each country to adjust phased activities to their own realities. I encourage all relevant players policy makers,practitioners, trainers, teachers and parents to play their part in making its local adoption a reality. Remember thata strong foundation is the bedrock of the region's continued sustainable development and that together we can make"Tomorrow Begin Today".

Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, M.PMinister of Education, Youth Affairs & CultureBarbados

5

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary %eport

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The President and Members of the Early Childhood Education Association of Barbados, would like to express sincere thanks, toall those who contributed to the success of the Conference.

We wish to express special thanks to the Honourable Mia Amor Mott ley, Minister of Education, Youth Affairs and Culture,Barbados and Ministry Officials including Senator Cynthia Forde, Parliamentary Secretary; Ms. Lolita Applewaite, PermanentSecretary, Education; Mr. Carlisle Carter, Permanent Secretary, Culture; Mr. DeCourcey Edey, Deputy Permanent Secretary andConference Coordinator; Mrs. Wendy Griffith-Watson, Chief Education Officer; Miss Carmelita Archer, Deputy ChiefEducation Officer; Mrs. Meta Edgehill, Retired Senior Education Officer, Primary; Mr. Glenroy Cumberbatch, Senior EducationOfficer, Planning; Mrs. Catherine Blackman, Education Officer, Nursery and Infant Education; Mrs. Jean Riviera, RetiredEducation Officer, Nursery and Infant Education and Dr. Megan Goodridge, Special Projects Officer.

May we take this opportunity to state how grateful we are to the Coordinators of activities and committees in particular:-

Mrs. Gloria Lucas Programme Committee; Mrs. McCaskie-Wint Constitution Committee; Mr. Irvin Best ConstitutionCommittee; Mrs. Idamay Denny - Conference Handbook; Ms. Arlette St. Hill Schools Projects; Mr. Michael Hoyte Art andCraft Exhibition; Ms. Beverly Alleyne Art and Craft Exhibition Mr. Selwyn Belle - Chief Audio Visual Aids Officer (Ag.) andthe personnel of the Audio Visual Aids Department; Mrs. Donna Hunte-Cox - Social and Cultural Events; Mrs. ShelleyScantlebury - Conference Services; Ms. Alies Jordan Conference Room; Mr. Bruce Alleyne - Liaison Services; Mr. ManassehKing - Accommodation; Ms. Pauline Branch - Secretariat; Mr. M. Broomes Secretariat; Mrs. Heather Edwards Secretariat; Mr.Desmond Harris - Secretariat; Mrs. Lydia Jemmott Secretariat; Mr. David Waterman Secretariat; Mr. Ferris CumminsTransportation; Ms. Noreen Cox Recordings; Mrs. Sandra Jordan Rapporteurs and Ms. Sharon Austin Public Relations.

The ECEAB would like to register its profound thanks and appreciation to major collaborators and sponsors Mrs. Colleen Winter-Brathwaite, UNESCO Representative; Mr. Macharia Kamau, Area Representative of UNICEF Caribbean Area Office and staff;Messrs. Herman Grant and Desmond Durant of the Caribbean Development Bank, the Canadian High Commission and BritishHigh Commission, for organizational, technical and, or financial support for the conference.

Special kudos are also extended to the resource persons, all of whom selflessly contributed of their time and talents for theenrichment of Conference participants.

The Association also appreciates the patience and kind support of the management and staff of the Dover Convention Centre.

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood education dummaty %port,

We also acknowledge the support of thecontributors:-

A Class PrintingAdvocate Company LimitedAtlantis Submarines Barbados Inc.Audio Visual Aids DepartmentBanks Barbados Breweries LimitedBarbados Community CollegeBarbados Defense ForceBarbados External Telecommunication LimitedBarbados Fire ServiceBarbados Hardware Company LimitedBarbados Light and Power Company LimitedBarbados Red Cross SocietyBarbados Telephone Company LimitedBarclays Bank PLCCaribbean Broadcasting CorporationCaribbean Broadcasting UnionCarlton and Al SupermarketCave ShepherdCharles McEnearney and Company LimitedChefette RestaurantDays BooksDiscovery Bay Beach HotelEduquestErdiston Teachers' Training CollegeGovernment Information ServiceGovernment Printing OfficeJordan's SupermarketMinistry of Foreign AffairsMinistry of Labour and Community DevelopmentMother CareNation Publishing Company LimitedNational Council of Parent Teachers Association

following Phillips, EonPine Hill DairyPizza Man DocPronto Marketing and Printing BrokersPublic Workers Credit UnionRegional Police Training CenterRoxy SupermarketRoyal Barbados Police ForceSamuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic

Finally, we extend our appreciation to the following schoolswhich engaged participants through a high quality of projectwork and delightful performances at the Opening Ceremony ofthe Conference:-

Charles F. Broomes PrimaryChrist Church Girls' PrimaryEden Lodge NurseryErdiston NurseryGovernment Hill NurseryIgnatius Byer PrimaryGordon Greenidge PrimaryHindsbury PrimaryRoland Edwards PrimarySt. Albans' InfantsSt. Bartholomew's PrimarySt. Gabriel'sSt. James PrimarySt. Patrick's Roman Catholic SchoolSt. Stephen's NurseryWesley Hall InfantsWesley Hall JuniorWest Terrace PrimaryWilkie Cumberbatch Primary

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Educolion (Summary 9epori

INTRODUCTION

The Second Caribbean Conference on Early ChildhoodEducation took place in Barbados from April 1 to 5, 1997. Itwas organized and hosted by the Early Childhood EducationAssociation of Barbados, with organisational, technical andfinancial support from the Ministry of Education, YouthAffairs and Culture, the United Nations Educational, Scentificand Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United NationsChildren's Fund (UNICEF). Financial support also came fromthe Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Canadian HighCommission, British High Commission, and the private sectorin Barbados.

The Conference was attended by 91 overseas participants from21 countries, and boasted an average daily attendance of 135local participants, as well as 45 parents representing ParentTeacher Associations across Barbados. In the main, eachofficial delegation comprised a chief policy-maker, a teachertrainer, a representative of a Non-Governmental Organisationinvolved in service delivery or national Association and arepresentative practitioner.

This Conference followed the First Caribbean Conferencewhich was held in St. Thomas, U.S Virgin Islands in October1994.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The Conference had the following objectives:

1. To set a framework for the development of earlychildhood programmes in the Caribbean;

2. To initiate a Plan of Acton to address early childhoodissues in the Caribbean, in terms of policy, structureand implementation; and

3. To facilitate the networking of early childhoodeducation professionals.

It was expected that the Conference would have the followingoutcomes:

1. Caribbean Plan of Action for Early ChildhoodEducation, Care and Development;

2. Identification of a cadre of people with skills andknowledge of early childhood education in the region;

3. Development and production of a directory of earlychildhood education professionals, para-professionalsand agencies; and

4. Establishment of the Caribbean Association for EarlyChildhood Education and Development.

"TOMO OW ECifilb ìrCEDAY"2nd CARL CONIFERIEMON EARLY Cl "Y D EDUCATR

)07E._ CONTZITn.V.i.q 1

.m,c0

Executive Members of the Early ChildhoodEducation Association of Barbados.

The Conference was officially opened by the Honourable MiaAmor Mottley, Minister of Education, Youth Affairs andCulture of Barbados, and remarks were made by Mr. MachariaKamau, Area Representative, UNICEF Caribbean AreaOffice; Mrs. Colleen Winter-Brathwaite, Representative,UNESCO; Mr. Herman Grant, Chief Project Officer,Caribbean Development Bank and Her Excellency, Mrs.Colleen Swords, Canadian High Commissioner with thefeature address given by Dr. Lilian Katz, Professor of EarlyChildhood Education at the University of Illinois. (SeeAppendix 1 for full text of speech). Miss Shelley Ashby,President of the Early Childhood Education Association ofBarbados was named Chairperson of the Conference.

From the outset, Minister Mottley clearly established herGovernment's commitment to early childhood developmentprogrammes which she considered the bedrock to maximisingthe investment in education at the higher levels. Mr. MachariaKamau outlined the social and economic reasons whyCaribbean governments were duty-bound to invest in earlychildhood development.

This view had been earlier enunciated by Ms. Shelley Ashby asshe expressed her hope that the Conference would inspire thebuilding of a better structure of the sector. But in bringing thatstructure, Mrs. Colleen Winter-Brathwaite hoped thatcreativity would not be stifled. Instead it was hoped thatcaregivers and educators would effectively mould the naturalcuriosity of this age group into a life long habit. She alsowanted the regional follow-up plan to address the inequalities eof resources for education.

Mr. Herman Grant addressed this issue in his short remarks andindicated that the Bank was now having to listen to educators toensure it was indeed supporting the development needs of thesociety. Her Excellency, Mrs. Colleen Swords highlighted the

8

2


contribution being made by the Canada Fund for LocalInitiatives (CFLI) to the activities of children in the region.

A SITUATION ANALYSIS

At the Conference, participants considered early childhoodeducation in its broadest sense. They took into account theearliest development needs of children from birth, and viewededucation as including the parents, media and other societalinfluences on a child's evolving capacity. For this reason, thetopic of the Conference was redefined in terms of "earlychildhood education and development".

Conference participants were told that early childhoodeducation and development in the Caribbean is generallyafforded a low status, with very small - and diminishingbudgets and, as a result, low coverage of children in the eligibleage groups, in spite of steadily increasing demand.

There is a wide variation in quality among the services offeredto young children and their parents, with lack ofstandardization particularly noticeable in private settings. Thisalso relates to fragmentation, overlap and duplication of effortin both day care and pre-school services. There are a greatmany unregistered or unlicensed centres.

Day care and pre-school services throughout the Caribbeansuffer from a severe shortage of well-trained personnel. Thereare not enough people to train all the early childhood educatorsneeded in the region. The low status, low pay, poor workingconditions and limited career advancement opportunitieswhich characterize most day care or pre-school operationsdiscourage many potential teachers from entering theprofession. These problems also lead to high staff turnover.Financial problems also contribute to a rapid turnover inprivate day care centres.

Generally speaking, the main reason for the operation of daycare facilities has been to provide support to working parents.Only as a secondary matter has there been any concern to fosterchildren's development. Nevertheless, it is the capacity ofearly childhood education to promote the fullest possibledevelopment which represents its greatest benefit.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ECED

The first years of any child's life are critical to that child'sdevelopment. No amount of help and support provided in lateryears can overcome a deficit in development caused by earlyneglect. Failure to address a child's need for early educationand development will cost society as a whole as the childmatures, in terms of potential skills not realized, lack ofeconomic progress, and social dysfunction.

By contrast, children whose intellects are stimulated from theearliest possible age, who are encouraged to engage in physicalactivity that develops all their muscles, and who are able tolearn the social skills necessary for life in a free and democratic

society will not only be able to contribute to the furtherdevelopment of their country's economy, when they are older,but will also be good citizens who can support and sustain thefundamental values of freedom and participation that underlieCaribbean democracies.

Support to early childhood education and development canstart immediately after a child's birth, through programmesdesigned to help parents promote and encourage thedevelopment of their child. Such programmes will be mosteffective if they take an integrated approach, recognizing theclosely linked relationship among physical, mental andemotional well-being.

Programmes for early childhood education and developmentcan overcome the deficits caused by poverty and deprivation.If children come from homes where books are not read, whereopportunity for new experiences is severely restricted, andwhere adults have neither the time nor the energy to providechildren with the care and attention they need, these needs canbe filled, to some extent, by programmes designed specificallyto address the situation of children from deprivedbackgrounds.

Children who have the opportunity to benefit from structuredand well-designed early childhood education and developmentprogrammes are more likely to complete school successfully,with fewer drop-outs and fewer repeated grades. This is ofparticular importance for Caribbean countries, which see thathalf the children who graduate from primary school haverepeated at least one grade, at great cost to both the children andthe education system, while many others give up entirely andleave school early.

It is also significant to know that children whose early needsfor education and development are met, are also betterequipped to take on social responsibilities as they grow older.As the countries of the Caribbean contend with family break-down, social disintegration and increasing violence, appropriateearly childhood education and development programmespresent the opportunity to forestall such problems for futuregenerations.

IMPROVING QUALITY AS WELL AS AVAILABILITY

Throughout the Conference, participants were concerned withthe need to improve the quality of early childhood educationand development programmes. While some attention was paidto the need for well-designed and effective programmes to helpparents give their children the necessary support for earlydevelopment of essential skills, the participants identifiedspecific areas in which the structured system of child care andpre-school services could be improved. Measuresrecommended included: better training of teachers and caregivers in the competencies needed to do the best possible job ofeducating children; increasing the number of teachers or caregivers relative to the number of children, to ensure more

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary epori

*

't

The Creative Arts - Drama Workshop in progress.

personal attention to the individual needs of all children; andencouraging greater engagement by the community as a wholein the provision of appropriate and effective early childhoodeducation and development services.

A REGIONAL APPROACH

At the Caribbean Conference on the Rights of the Child, whichtook place in Belize City from 7 to 10 October, 1996, thegovernments of the CARICOM countries agreed on theimportance of fulfilling the rights of all their children, as set outin the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.Among those are the right to appropriate child care, and thefundamental right of all children to survival and development.

At the Second Caribbean Conference on Early ChildhoodEducation, there was clear recognition that the situation ofCaribbean children could be improved only with a strongregional commitment to action and regional cooperation onmajor initiatives, such as legislative and regulatory reform, andteacher training.

This recognition was reflected in the two significant stepsforward taken at the Conference: the formation of theCaribbean Association for Early Childhood Education andDevelopment and adoption of the Caribbean Plan of Action forEarly Childhood Education, Care and Development for 1997to 2002.

The Caribbean Association will bring together professionals,para-professionals and agencies throughout the Caribbeanworking in the field of early childhood education anddevelopment. It will be an advocacy organization for theimprovement of early childhood programmes, and alsoprovide a forum for its members to exchange information andlearn from one another's experiences.

The Plan of Action provides a comprehensive guideline for theplanning, development, implementation and evaluation ofprogrammes to provide children with the best possibleopportunity to learn and develop from the earliest age.

The Plan of Action focuses on the need for mechanisms andstrategies to achieve:

legislative framework for coordinated provision ofservices and monitoring standards in this sector;integrated social planning and implementation ofinitiatives;adequate financing;equitable access to quality provisions to minimize theplight of the large percentage of children in high risksituations;education and training for all providers of earlychildhood education and development;appropriate curriculum development and materialsdevelopment;increased parent, community and media awarenessand involvement;coordinated action at both national and regionallevels; andincreased research to inform development of thesector.

Each country will need to revise and adapt the detailedcomponents of the Plan of Action to suit local priorities, needsand circumstances.

At the same time, the Plan of Action can serve as the blueprintfor region-wide initiatives to meet the needs and fulfill therights of young children to education and development.

0

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary deport

THE VALUE or EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAND DEVELOPMENT THE CASE FOR INVESTMENT

git various points throughout the Conference, speakersoutlined the factors which should incline governments,international aid donors and others to give priority to supportfor early childhood education and development. Thearguments drew on both practical and ethical considerations tomake a compelling case for this basic investment in the futureof society as a whole.

LEGAL COMMITMENT

Mr. Macharia Kamau, the Area Representative in the UNICEFCaribbean Area Office, noted in his opening remarks that allcountries of the Caribbean were States Parties to the UnitedNations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Under theterms of the Convention, all the nations of the Caribbeanregion were, therefore, obliged to provide services that fulfillchild rights. In particular, Mr. Kamau, and later Mr. FabioSabatini, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the UNICEFCaribbean Area Office, cited Articles 18.2 and 18.3 of theConvention:

"18.2. For the purposes of guaranteeing and promoting therights set forth in the present Convention, States Parties shallrender appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians inthe performance of their child-rearing responsibilities andshall ensure the development of institutions, facilities andservices for the care of children.

"18.3. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures toensure that children of working parents have the right to benefitfrom child-care services and facilities for which they areeligible."

These two paragraphs provide clear direction to governmentsand society as a whole to make early childhood care andeducation a priority. However, as Mr. Kamau pointed out, "thechallenge, however, is not purely a legal or legislative one. Thechallenge is truly and fundamentally of a moral and ethical, anddevelopmental character." It also has practical aspects, as Mr.Sabatini demonstrated.

EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE

In his presentation, Mr. Sabatini cited the need "to adjustlabour force skills to more complex tasks and sophisticatedthinking processes required by rapidly changing productionpatterns of the 21st century" as essential for economic growthand development in the countries of the Caribbean.

Using statistics drawn from situation analyses of several4 countries in the region, after making it clear that the examples

chosen were not intended in any way to identify some countriesas having greater difficulties than any of the others, Mr.Sabatini showed that economic patterns in the region arechanging, away from such activities as basic agriculturetowards service industries, such as tourism, which require amore sophisticated and varied set of skills from workers.

,WORKERS NEED MORE COMPLEX SKILLSTO ADJUST TO NEW PRODUCTION PATTERNS

Agricultural Decline & Tourism IncreasePercentage Contribution to GDP, Grenada 1990-94

11a1098765- AGR.

4 1-T0318.

170 1991 1992 1993 1994Source: 1996 Country Situation Analysis.

High rates of illiteracy in the region were, according to Mr.Sabatini, the outcome of an education system that fails toprovide adequately for the children who depend on it. Heconcluded that "the reason we are not able to maximizeeducational potential for children is because we start too late.As the saying goes, 'Eight is too late'. We have already lost50% of the potential development of children because wehaven't done anything until age five."

...WHICH THE CURRENT EDUCATION

SYSTEM SEEMS NOT TO BE PRODUCINO...

Illiteracy Rates, 1993 (Percent)

Total Faction! Beth

ANB 15.7 17.9 33.6DOM 18.0 19.4 37.4STI. 27.0 19.0 46.0

Source. Comm, Sous.. AuslyKs

It was Mr. Kamau who first pointed out that "fifty percent ofthe potential intelligence development of all children is doneby the age of four...Missing out on proper early childhood careand development puts 50 percent of a child's intellectualdevelopment at risk."

This critical point was reinforced by the keynote speaker, Dr.Lilian Katz, Professor of Early Childhood Education at theUniversity of Illinois and Director of the ERIC Clearing Houseon Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

She explained that "the new research on neurologicaldevelopment indicates that approximately 80% to 85% of the

(Second Caribbean Conference on &rig Childhood education (Summary 9eporl

neurological pathways a person ultimately acquires willdevelop during the first six years of life, and the rate of growthis steepest in the earliest of those years."

The experiences a child has during those critical formativeyears will have far-reaching effects. As Dr. Katz said, "anyprovision for young children whether in the home or outsideof it that is less than top quality represents missedopportunities to make substantial contributions to the rest oftheir lives."

On the basis of all the evidence available, Mr. Sabatini couldtherefore argue that "early childhood development has beenproved to increase education system performance andefficiency, through less repetition, drop-out, truancy andfailure.

EFFECTIVENESS

Support to early childhood education and development alsomakes good practical sense in terms of the wider public ex-penditure, beyond the education system. In his introductoryremarks, Mr. Kamau said, "It has been demonstrated that in-terventions between the ages of zero to five significantly in-crease returns of social expenditures due to synergies realizedamong social services that can be provided for in an integratedfashion within a pre-school setting: for example, early stimu-lation and education, better parenting training for mothers andfathers, as well as child and maternal health. Governments andindividuals that invest in early childhood strategies enjoy lowerhealth bills, because of resulting less disabilities, less anaemia,less malnutrition and even less abuse and neglect of children."

Mr. Sabatini carried the argument further, noting how struc-tural adjustment programmes undertaken by governmentsthroughout the region had caused economic hardship. Heshowed the connection between economic distress, in terms ofdeclines in growth of the Gross Domestic Product, and increas-ing rates of criminal and socially undesirable activity.

He noted that "the integrated approach to early childhooddevelopment facilities can put a cushion or a buffer between

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISTRESSGDP Growth and Drugs, Crime and Maltreatment

St.Vincent & the Grenadines, 1990-94Source: 1996 Country Situation Analysis

GDP Growth Drug Arrests35.0tiltreatmentsen me30.0

X25.0t 20.0

15.0

10.0

5.0

etesemie dishes

the economic hardship and its social effect of children andfamilies", adding that "early childhood development, byhaving an integrated approach to service delivery, has asynergistic and multiplicative effect which improves how muchyou're getting out of each dollar that you spend for publicprovision of services."

On this basis, he argued for better social targeting of govern-ment expenditures, both to increase the overall allocation forbasic social services (in keeping with the 20/20 principleenunciated at the World Summit on Social Development inCopenhagen) and to direct the services to those most in needof them.

BUDGET ALLOCATION FORBASIC SOCIAL SERVICES

The 20:20 Prieeiple

1

. '

OTHER SOLI

EXPENDITURE 20% Taiol

BASIC NEEDS rz

Sesial

20% Lospoulion

/1 40%

For her part, Dr. Katz focused on the ways in which early child-hood education can promote greater security in the broadersociety. She explained "that unless children achieve minimalsocial competence by about the age of six, plus or minus half ayear, the child is at risk for the rest of his or her life."

The risks are many and serious. Beyond the danger to mentalhealth, Dr. Katz noted that children who do not develop ad-equate social skills are more likely to drop out of school, tohave trouble keeping a job or to have problems themselveswith their eventual responsibilities as parents.

Moreover, "there is some reason to suspect that children whoare rejected by their peers early, repeatedly eventually find eachother, and they get from each other a sense of belonging andintimacy based on their shared bitterness and hostility to therest of the community." She said that these "groups of disaf-fected youth are analogous to having time bombs in our ownback gardens."

12

Display from the St. Albans' Infants' School, Barbados.

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education oummaiy 9epori

EQUITY

Mr. Sabatini pointed out that "Caribbean countries suffer frominequities between sexes and among socio-economic classes,and from inequitable intergenerational distribution ofresources.." He argued that effective early childhooddevelopment can mitigate social inequities, by providingequal opportunities to develop and learn for children of bothrich and poor.

There are marked disparities in the amounts of moneygovernments spend on schools and students, depending on theincome level and location of the community being served.Generally, the available information shows that schools inwealthy urban districts receive more money from governmentexpenditure than do those in poor or rural districts.

This is a particularly acute problem, given that approximatelyone-third of the people in CARICOM countries, for example,live in poverty.In his presentation, Mr. Sabatini (who wasintroduced as "an economist with a human face") also noted theinadequacy of traditional economic measures to assess theimpact of economic conditions on children.

THE ECONOMICS OF POVERTY...1 in 3 CARICOM People is Poor

ANB 7,123 JAM 853,332

BAH 12,665 SKN 6,657

BAR 20,416 STL 34,977

BZE 69,188 SVG 18,105

DOM 22,924 SUR 190,350

GRN 19,119 TNT 245,610

GUY 308,915 TOTAL 1,809,3811Source: World Bank 1996 - Poverty Reduction and Human Resource Development in the Caribbean

"The working population increased in the past decade or so formen and women. An economic evaluation will consider this asa net positive gain for the poor, as the number of working hoursin the household has increased and unemployment is reduced,but it will disregard the fact that less time is available for childcare. A child-centred social accountancy system would haveto evaluate the gains to society: has children's physical,intellectual and emotional development also improvedwhen their caregivers or parents work for more hours?"

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT BY SEXGrenada, Percentage 1994

20-24

15-19

Total

Both Male Female

163

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Source: 1996 Countries' Situation Analysis .

This concern is closely linked with the problem of insufficientcoverage for day care and pre-school in the Caribbean region.Especially in the case of day care facilities (generally for youngchildren of working mothers) the number of spaces availablefalls far short of the number of children needing the service inmany countries.

Day Car

40%

20%

0%

NOT MANY OF THEM...(dc) & Pre-School (ps) Coverage, 1993

10% covered % not covered

STL SKN ORN DOM STL SKN

de de ps ps ps ps

Source: 1996 Country Situation Analyses

Both Mr. Kamau and Mr. Sabatini also expressed greatconcern for the intergenerational inequities in educationexpenditure throughout the region.

Taking Trinidad and Tobago as an example, they both notedthat the government spends only TT$385 per year on each pre-school student, while making annual expenditures ofTT$20,875 for each tertiary level student.

13

(Second Caribbean Conference on 6arly Childhood 6ducalion (Summary 9eport

SKEWED INVESTMENT IN EDUCATIONPer Capita Expenditure and the Poor

By Education Level,TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, '93

Level % RE % CE Per Capita % poor/total roll

Pre-Primary 0.2 0 385 n/a

Primary 42.3 77.6 1,976 27.30

Secondary 32.8 11.4 3,029 22.30

Tech/Voc 4.2 1 6,799 13.80

Tertiary 11.4 0 20,875 4.20

Source: World Bank 1995

Trinidad and Tobago is not the only country to show thispattern. Rather, it is typical of the region as a whole. Anotherexample, from Jamaica, shows that 14% of the educationbudget is spent on tertiary education, compared to only 2.5%for early childhood.

SKEWED INVESTMENT IN EDUCATIONExpenditure Distribution by Education Level (%

JAMAICA, 1993

TERTIARY

TECHNOC. ,

SECONDARY

TEACH.

ADmINTRAIN. OTHER

1 6.

14

31.8

Source: Economic and Social Survey 1993

EARLYCHILDHOOD

PRIMARY

Mr. Kamau asked, "Does the discrepancy between whatgovernments spend on university students in the Caribbean andwhat they spend on pre-schoolers have to be so high? What isthe economic or social justification of this variance? Is fouryears of university education that much more valuable tosociety than four years of edu-care or pre-school? And can abetter balance be struck between government expenditure onpre-schools and universities?"

And he noted that "studies have shown that the returns tosociety and to individuals in general are significantly more forchildren who have been through pre-school...than returnsgained by and individual and society, on average, because oftertiary learning."

Mr. Sabatini made a good case for the affordability of earlychildhood education and development programmes. In a directresponse to Mr. Kamau' s final question, Mr. Sabatinidemonstrated that, if students who could afford to wererequired to pay all or part of the costs of their universityeducation, there would be sufficient additional funds availablein the education budget of Trinidad and Tobago to increase theinvestment in early childhood development and, in the process,make pre-school education available and accessible to allchildren in the target age group (only a fraction of whom arecurrently benefitting from services available).

Mo PAIN, LOTS Cr GAINComparative Impact of Resource Shift to ECD

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 199395

65 r. Before

After65

55

45

35

25

15 -22

Only4.2%

students(190)from

poorestHHs

5 ,1865Invest ECD

Source: Own Calculations, based on World Bank 1995

Cost Recovery thru 951means testing to

12% students (538)paying all or 24%

paying half fees

4.5 4.5

Roll Univ. Cost Univ.

The value of making early childhood education available tochildren of the poor was stressed by Mr. Kamau. "We haveseen that where government supports communities inproviding for day care and early childhood programmes, poorfamilies participate fully in the utilization of these services tothe benefit of the economy and the entire society."

WHAT MOTHERS WANT

The final argument in favour of granting increased priority toearly childhood services is based on democratic principles: itrepresents one of the highest priorities of the peoplethemselves, especially the poorest segments of the population.

Mr. Sabatini demonstrated this by showing the results of a1995 survey conducted by the Caribbean Development Bankin St. Lucia, in which day care centres and pre-schools wereplaced at the top of the list of priorities most frequentlymentioned in focus group sessions.

This interest reflects the fact, also pointed out by Mr. Sabatinithat there are more female headed households in the poorersegments of the population than among those who are well-off,and so it is much more likely that female heads of householdwill have to work, and will therefore need to find adequate andappropriate care for their children while they are away from

.14

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary 9eport

home. Once again, support to early childhood services makesgood economic as well as social sense, because it frees mothersto work, thereby contributing toward both family income andthe growth of the overall economy, while also promotinggender equity in the workforce.In summary, investment in early childhood education produces

LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITYFrequency Distribution of Focus Group Prioritie:

ST.LUCIA Poverty Assessment Survey, 1993

11 of the poorestcommunities in St.Lucia identifiedpriority programmeswhich in their viewswould assist them inreducing poverty.

Source:1995 CDB Poveny Assessment Study.

SERVICE FREQ.

Day Care Centro/Pre-school 5

Family Life Education/FP 5

Literacy/Tech/Vocational 5

Land/Housing/Electricity 4

Old Age Pensions 4

Garbage/Waste 4

Water 3

significant returns for both society and the individual. It resultsin long-term savings for other social expenditures that aredirected to dealing with problems later in life which can bemore easily resolved or prevented with early interventions. Iteases the effects of economic hardship on the poor, whoaccount for substantial proportion of the population of theCaribbean region, and it provides the basis for acquisition ofeconomically worthwhile skills which can contribute toincreased employment and a healthy growing economy. Itenables parents to take better care of their own children and itenables society to fulfill its responsibility to respect andpromote the rights of children.

Dr. Katz, in her keynote address, drew all these considerationstogether succinctly. "I really believe each of us must come tocare about everyone else's children. We must come to see thatthe well-being of our own children can only be secured whenthe well-being of all other people's children is also secure...Butto care about others' children is not just a practical matter; it isalso the right thing to do."

15

(Second Caribbean Conference on Carly Childhood Education (Summary %port

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CARIBBEAN

(Before plans could be made for putting into place a system ofearly childhood education and development to meet the needsand fulfill the rights of children in the Caribbean, it wasnecessary to clarify the current situation.

Mrs. Janet Brown, Director of the Caribbean ChildDevelopment Centre in Jamaica, together with Dr. KeridaMcDonald, a consultant at the Centre, and Dr. Carol Logic, aLecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of theWest Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, presented the results ofanalyses and surveys conducted throughout the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname, to determine the situationof early childhood education in the region.

Dr. McDonald detailed the process that had been followed forthe collection of information, including review of 12 situationanalyses or specific country reports on early childhoodeducation, as well as responses to a pre-conferencequestionnaire which had been designed to identify priorityconcerns.

She noted that it was too early in the collection of data toundertake a detailed analysis, but the information available hadidentified the major themes which will need to be addressed.

To begin, she put the analysis in the context of regional socio-economic trends, including structural adjustment policies anddeclining economic growth. She pointed out that "the fact thatthere has been a reduction in social spending has implicationsfor early childhood care and education, in the sense thatservices are paid for by families," and expressed concern that"we don't have day care centres and pre-schools beingsubsidized and ... we don't have day care programmes that canmonitor these services", with resulting problems for families,especially those with the most limited resources.

There has been a rapid increase in female participation in thelabour force, mostly in low-status and low-paying jobs, whilechanges in occupational and family patterns have causeddisintegration of the extended family network that used toprovide care for children. This is aggravated in some cases offemale migration. The children of the women who go are the"barrel children" who have been left behind, virtually fendingfor themselves.

Social dysfunction and disintegration have also led toincreasing levels of violence in all parts of the region.

Even what seems to be good news carries unexpected costs.There has been a steady improvement in child health in theregion, with low levels of mortality and morbidity and a muchreduced rate of communicable disease, thanks to immunizationprogrammes. As a result, there are more children in need ofearly education services.

Early childhood education is generally accorded a low status,and this affects the way in which programmes areimplemented. The most obvious evidence of this is the smallproportion of government expenditure allocated to earlychildhood education and development. In fact, budgets aredeclining in spite of significant increases in the demand for daycare services.

One of the most critical problems, which was a constant themethroughout the conference, was the need to improve the qualityof all early childhood education and development services. Dr.McDonald identified a cycle which reflects the problem ofmaintaining quality in the system.

To offer quality programmes, the staff need to be adequatelytrained. Well-trained teachers expect proper workingconditions, including a high ratio of adults to children in theprogrammes offered. To achieve this, more staff are needed,which in turn requires additional resources. For additionalresources to be allocated, the people who make decisions aboutfunding want to see an appropriate return on their investment.In order to demonstrate such returns, the programmes offeredneed to be of sustained high quality. And that leads back to thebeginning, and the need for trained staff.

The regional analysis showed specific problems with failure tokeep staff/child records, with low staff evaluations, and withclassrooms that were teacher-controlled and teacher-centred.There is a wide variation in quality which relates to the lack ofstandardization, particularly in the private centres, whichdominate the pre-primary sector. This is linked to the high levelof unregistered or unlicensed centres. Some problems inadhering to standards that do exist are due to limitations ineconomic, physical and human resources.

There is limited research on early childhood education anddevelopment. The media do not take much interest in theseissues, providing only token coverage during special periods,such as Child Month, and tending towards sensationalization.Local media offer few programmes for young children, withvery little local programming.

Studies show that centre-based approaches do not adequatelyserve the needs of families, particularly the poorest. Forexample, 50% of children aged 0-2 in St. Kitts and Nevis arecared for at home, and 25% more in home-based day care, sointerventions would be more effective if they focused on workin the homes of young children. As already noted, teachertraining is a factor in this. However, there is a shortage ofteacher training personnel. Low pay, low status, poor workingconditions and limited career advancement opportunities forday care and pre-school providers lead to high staff turnover.There is also a high rate of turnover of private centres.

16

(Second Caribbean Conference on Carly Childhood eclucalion (Summary 9epori

The Creative Arts - Arts & Crafts Workshop in progress.

Country reports noted that the vast majority of services are notbased on developmentally sound principles. Problemsidentified include: the high ratio of children to adults; limitedoutdoor activity due to lack of space and/or outdoorequipment; uninviting environments that offer few choices toyoung children; lack of concrete learning materials; difficultyin sustaining a supply of consumable materials such as paper,crayons and markers; a school culture more typical of aprimary school setting; and a focus in language developmenton isolated skills such as recognizing letters, reciting thealphabet and forming letters.

Lack of a clear definition of the age range served by earlychildhood programmes leads to an overlap in coveragebetween day care centres and pre-schools. Each country seemsto have a different definition of the age range and target groupfor early childhood programmes.

Dr. McDonald noted that the primary stimulus for many daycare programmes is to support working parents. Fosteringchildren's development is often a secondary goal. This has adirect effect on the quality of the programmes offered.

Dr. Logie spoke in reference to the specific situation of earlychildhood education in Trinidad and Tobago, based on both anational survey on early education conducted in 1992 and astudy she conducted in 1996. In her own study, she visited andassessed programmes at 79 centres. Prior to 1992, earlychildhood care and education was not considered part of theformal education system of Trinidad and Tobago, and there areno structured data for the years before that.

Until 1996, the government of Trinidad and Tobago did nothave any budget allocation specifically for early childhoodeducation. In that year, the government decided to build newpre-schools, and so undertook a formal programme.Nevertheless, as Mr. Sabatini had already demonstrated, theamount allocated in the government budget to early childhoodeducation was quite small, relative to other expenditures.

17

Dr. Logie reported that most centres in Trinidad and Tobagoare privately run and of varied quality. Some 24% are eithergovernment-run or government-assisted (the latter beingoperated by an NGO, SERVOL), while about 6% are ownedand operated by religious bodies. Many of the government andgovernment-assisted centres offer only part-day programmes,although the teachers consider themselves full-time employeesand would expect any expansion in the hours of operation to bematched by increases in remuneration. Centres operated by theprivate sector offer longer days and more varied scheduleswhich are more effective at meeting the needs of parents whowork.

Class sizes, which fluctuate from one term to another, varywidely in both systems. The maximum size of classes visitedby Dr. Logie was 38 in the government system and 31 in theprivate sector, while minimum sizes were, respectively, threeand eight. More classes are too large than too small, however.

From her observations, she concluded that children in bothsystems spend a large part of the day "waiting and watching".Their activities are "driven by what the adult tells them to do."And she wondered, "Is it difficult for us to give up control, aseducators?"

She suggested that training programmes would have to addressthis issue if the learning environment is to be child-centred andlet children develop their self-esteem and language skills intheir own way.

In her assessment, Dr. Logie considered the following qualityindicators:

1. children's activities;2. centre-based practices;3. the socio-emotional development of the children;4. the interpersonal environment; and5. community involvement in the delivery of the programme.

For the assessment of classroom practice, she used aninstrument developed by M. Hyson, K. Hirch-Pasek and L.Rescorla, based on work done by S. Bredekamp.

She found that children engaged in a number-of differentactivities during the day, but these were tightly controlled by atimetable. "Locked into the timetable, the children sometimesget shuffled from one to the next." Teacher-centred activitiesdominated. "It was very rare, particularly in the private setting,that children were given the opportunities they needed toexplore the environment."

In 60% of the private centres there was no opportunity forchildren to be involved in concrete three-dimensionalactivities, while most government and SERVOL centres didprovide such opportunity. In 69% of private centres, teacherstold children exactly what to do, and expected them to do it.This was less common in the government and SERVOLcentres visited.


"What we observed is that children tend, in the private setting,to be involved in academic activities most of the day, andteachers expect children to continue those academic activitiesand see them as being appropriate. If we feel that childrenshould also be working in small groups, what are theimplications for training?...What does this does this say for usin the Caribbean region? How can we deal with it in our owncultural environment and the downward press of a CommonEntrance Exam? How do we look at it in the light of thepressures parents face and feel for the kinds of programmesthat exist today? What is our responsibility as educators to passthe word on in terms of what is appropriate and inappropriate?"

Dr. Logie identified the basic causes of these problems as:

poor training

no training

pressure from parents to retain traditional models(implying a need to work with parents to changeattitudes and bring about change)

lack of explicit minimal standards for programmedelivery

limited practical modules in training programmes.

Dr. Logie concluded on a more optimistic note, informingConference participants that the government of Trinidad andTobago, with the decision to designate a budget line for earlychildhood education, is supporting both pre-service and in-service training for teachers. A five year plan to train 130teachers has begun with a seven-week training course for 27facilitators. Efforts are being made to harmonize curriculaacross the entire system. Teachers with certification haverecently been given an increase in salary which has raised theirincome to just over the level of the minimum wage.

Delegates from the US Virgin Islands andProfessor Lilian Katz at extreme right.

A QUEST FOR QUALITYIn their presentations, both Dr. McDonald and Dr. Logie raisedconcerns about the quality of education offered to youngchildren in the existing systems (public and private).

Dr. Lilian Katz also dealt with quality-related issues in herkeynote address, offering a more positive vision of what waspossible, in terms of both curriculum and teacher preparation

Dr. Katz's point of departure was the capacities children bringwith them into any learning situation. In spite of differences intheir experiences before entering early childhood programmes,"all children come to school with lively minds, with the inborndisposition to make sense of their experience, of theirobservations, and of their feelings. A good early childhoodprogramme supports and nurtures this inborn disposition toactively investigate and make sense of experience."

She encouraged Conference participants to bear in mind thedistinction between intellectual goals and academic goals. (Adistinction Dr. Logie also referred to.) "They are different. Inthe early years, our focus should be on the intellectual goals."

Later, she explained, "Academic tasks are small, disembeddeditems usually taught in isolation, requiring the right answers,relying heavily on memory, the application of formulae (versusunderstanding), and the regurgitation of specific items learnedfrom formal instruction. Furthermore, academic tasks aredevoted to learning skills rather than to deepeningunderstanding...

"Intellectual goals and activities, on the other hand, are focusedon the life of the mind in its fullest sense, including the aesthetic,moral and spiritual sensibilities." It is these areas, she argued,that need the greatest attention and effort in early childhoodeducation programmes.

Senator Cynthia Forde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministerof Education, Youth Affairs and Culture of Barbados, like Mrs.Colleen Winter-Brathwaite, UNESCO Representative, raisedsimilar concerns in the Feature Address, given during theClosing Session. She asked, "Have you ever wondered whyhappy, bubbly, bright, active children at four and five cry out ofbeing bored at seven and eight? ... Too many of them are forcedto read and write because of a number of factors, and we allknow them: lack of training of staff; lack of resourcematerials;... pupil/teacher ratio... and then there's the parent andteacher expectation..."

Mrs. Rose Davies, Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at theMona Campus of the University of the West Indies, discussedthe elements that enter into the delivery of quality earlychildhood education.

She cautioned that, even though early childhood developmentprogrammes have undergone rapid expansion in recent years,"the provision of early childhood programmes is not of itself anautomatic guarantee of improved child development outcomes.Research has shown that it is the quality of the individual

12


programme which does. As countries internationally tendtoward boosted investment in early childhood programming,the issue of quality has become a focal point of debate."

She noted that the first step toward quality in early childhoodeducation is the creation of a supportive environment, fromboth "the broad or macro perspective of government,community and regional inputs to the process" and the "microor, to borrow Lilian Katz' s terminology, the 'inside'environment of early childhood programmes."

THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

The paper "From Belize to Barbados: Affording Children theirrights from Birth", presented by Mrs. Janet Brown, outlinedthe conditions necessary for a supportive external environment.

Mrs. Brown began from the discussions and decisions at theCaribbean Conference on the Rights of the Child, which tookplace in Belize City in October 1996. "Conference participantsidentified critical steps for child protection and care, amongstwhich was the role of day care in the lives of young childrenand their families, and some very interesting recommendationswere made. First, participants noted that even when day carewas privately run, such as in home-based centres, there shouldstill be an involvement by the community and by thegovernment because, as the delegates said in their report, 'afterall, the care and protection of children is everybody'sbusiness' ."

From the Belize recommendations, Mrs. Brown identifiedthree which indicated the breadth of social responsibility forearly childhood education and development:

1. Day care is seen as a matter of concern for everyone inthe society, not a private family need met by anymeans that a family can afford; and society here isseen as a combination of forces within the communityand government.

2. Training must include all those involved with theyoung child, and in particular the parent because he or

she is the first educator of the child.

3. To provide effective services requires support from asocial partnership of those with economic stakes,such as the vested interests the private sector andgovernment have in stability and productivity;governmental concerns for the safety and viability ofservices to children, which require standards andmonitoring in order to be effective; communityconcerns for the health and development of children;and family concerns for their individual sons anddaughters.

Mrs. Brown referred to the recommendation made in Belize for

a collaborative approach within the region, both to shareresources needed to comply with the Convention on the Rightsof the Child, and to learn from each other's experience. Sheoutlined some of the experiences in individual countries which

might be of interest and help to others.

Some countries in the region were developing legislation toentrench child rights in national law, and to provide specificprotections as required by the Convention on the Rights of theChild. In addition, some countries like Barbados have alreadydeveloped national standards and guidelines for child care andearly childhood education, while others were now gettingstarted Mrs. Brown referred specifically to the experience ofBelize, where the National Committee for Families andChildren has developed guidelines, an operational manual anda training manual for day care providers, while in Jamaicastandards developed after a national survey of day care centres

are currently before Parliament.

One of the most critical needs for the development of effectivepolicies, programmes and standards for quality earlychildhood education is information about what is actuallyhappening in the field. Mrs. Brown noted that there is a markedlack of data in the region on young children, before they enterschool. She offered the example of the PROFILES Project inJamaica as a model for other countries in the region to use in"developing planning instruments and institutionalizing asystem of data collection, analysis, and use in planning for

young children."

Mrs. Angela Dekker from the Netherlands Antilles suggested,during the discussion, that countries of the region should shareresearch results in areas of common interest. She added, "If wecould make use of the same criteria, it's easier to shareinformation and I believe more interesting".

"TOMORROW BEGINS TODAY"2nd CA1 BBEAN CO FERENCEON EAR DUCATION

DOVER ARBADOS.41!.;:,

Jamaican Delegation to the Conference.


THE "INSIDE" ENVIRONMENT

Mrs. Davies described an approach to monitoring programmequality in early childhood education and development, basedon guidelines for "developmentally appropriate practices" (orDAP) developed by the National Association for the Educationof Young Children.

"There are two dimensions to programme quality. Thestructural or static dimension includes such factors as:

physical facilities;space per child;physical room arrangement;availability of appropriate materials and equipment;arrangements for meeting children's basic care,health and nutritional needs;group size, and ratio ofchildren;teachers' qualifications.

teachers and caregivers to

"The dynamic or process dimension covers those programmeaspects that are more often sensed than seen, for instance:

the climate of social interaction between adults andchildren, children and children, children and adults;the curriculum process, in particular the hiddenaspects;parent-staff relations

"The dynamic dimension is far more important than the staticin determining child outcomes. However, research shows thatthe static features of a programme environment do serve tofacilitate constructive interaction between adults and children.Hence, they affect the dynamic environment and ultimatelychildren's developmental outcomes."

The Teachers

For many presenters and participants who commented in thediscussion periods, the role of the teacher was essential to thedelivery of quality early childhood education. Ms. RubyYorke, a participant from Saint Lucia, said during one of thediscussions, "Quality's a burning issue in our region...Thequality of staff and the quality of programmes go hand in glove.There must be basic standards that are adhered to by everyone,without exception. The basic qualification of a love forchildren is insufficient."

One important issue was the adult/child ratio, which varied sowidely in the study conducted by Dr. Logie. Dr. Katz hadaddressed this issue in her keynote address. In the context ofpromoting positive socialization of young children, Dr. Katzsaid that "teachers cannot help them unless the teacher/pupilratio is low enough to permit frequent individualizedinteraction between children and adults, and a closemonitoring of social engagement in the classroom."

Mrs. Davies also discussed the importance of a low ratio ofchildren to adults for all aspects of child development. "Whenadults have too many children in their charge, there is likely tobe much less verbal interaction and social exchange betweenadult and child, and consequently less benefits accruing to thechild. The conclusions and recommendations from researchhave led many developed countries to set standards limitinggroup size for three- to five-year olds to ranges between 16 and25 children, with one adult to 10 or 12 children. For toddlers,one to eight with a maximum group size of 15, and one to fourfor infants with a maximum group size of eight."

She noted, however, that limited financial resources in"countries such as ours" might require larger classes, with morechildren for each adult to look after.

Dr. Katz also stressed the ways in which a good teacher canovercome disadvantages such as lack of materials or a poorlearning environment. "I suggest the best way to ensure goodeducation and development for all the tomorrows is by focusingour collective and individual energies on the quality of the day-to-day interactions we have with children so that thoseinteractions are rich, interesting, engaging, satisfying, andmeaningful as we can make them. For teachers, I suggest: don'tdrain your energy on blaming conditions, politicians, orofficials, or the parents, and anyone or anything else. For thoseoutside the classroom I suggest focusing on the ways to supportteachers in every possible way so that their energy and skills arenot diverted from the essential matter of the daily lives they leadwith children."

Participants were very much concerned about how to improveand expand training for early childhood teachers andcaregivers. Mrs Davies noted, "Young children need skilledand competent teachers and caregivers to guide theirdevelopment as much as or perhaps more than at any otherlevel... Specialized training is associated with more positiveadult/child interaction, helpfulness, encouragement, lessrestrictive behaviour and less punitiveness, promotion of verbalskills, and higher social and cognitive competence in children."

The plans for in-service and pre-service training of earlychildhood teachers in Trinidad and Tobago, described by Dr.Logie, indicated one way to respond to the need for more highlyqualified teachers. But smaller countries in the Caribbean maynot be able to develop such programmes on their own. Severalsuggestions were made for regional training programmeswhich could use jointly developed training courses andmaterials, distance education methods and mentoring systems.

Mrs. Brown told participants about an innovative programme ,..that the Caribbean Child Development Centre was developing (with vocational training institutes in Jamaica, a programme for 1"competency-based" training. The Centre would determine the '4%,,

essential skills, or competencies, needed for effective earlychildhood educators, and the vocational institutes would teachthose skills in a specifically focused and intensive programme. 13

2g

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education dummary %pod

Mrs. Davies pointed out that "specific curriculum trainingthrough staff in-service programmes and follow-up supporthas also been shown in the High Scope experience to be mostsuccessful in promoting programme quality. This kind ofsystematic training in the specifics of curriculumimplementation is especially important where possession ofprofessional qualifications by teachers is not widespread, asobtains in our situation."

What is Taught

The development and application of curricula which respondto the children's needs and ways of learning (the "pattern-seeking" and exploratory capacities described by Dr. Katz) isessential for quality early childhood education, as is respectingthe distinction between intellectual goals and academic goals(also described by Dr. Katz) for the various age groups.

Mrs. Davies outlined the broad characteristics of a qualitycurriculum, saying, "such a curriculum is learner-centred,promotes child-initiated and interactive learning, employsinstructional approaches that are embedded in a child's naturallove of play, and takes into account the child's current skilllevel and experiences."

An innovative approach to teaching content was described byDr. Megan Goodridge, Special Projects Officer in the Ministryof Education, Youth Affairs and Culture of Barbados. Shecalled her theoretical framework "co-constructivism". Theapproach has been applied successfully in different culturalcommunities in New Zealand, and is now being applied inconjunction with the "Parent Volunteer Support Programme"in several Barbadian schools.

In essence, this model provides children with the opportunityto create their own learning tools from their own experience,with help and support from adults who may have specific skillsthe children still have not fully developed. Thus, children cancreate their own stories from their day-to-day experiences.These are written out by a supporting adult, and then can serveas texts for subsequent classes. The adults parents as well asteachers use the child's language in writing the story. Thechildren learn to work collaboratively in situations in whichthey take the lead.

In her feature address, Senator Forde also suggested the use ofpersonal experience and traditional stories to help childrenlearn. "I challenge all Caribbean people to work diligently withyoung children, to share some of your childhood experienceswith them, to help them develop an interest in and anappreciation of their respective cultures through traditionalgames... Also, tell them stories about Anansi, about BrerRabbit and Brer Fox... Teach them the traditional songs... Helpthem to develop appetites for local foods... Teach them to beresponsible."An important part of the teaching process with young childreninvolves the use of materials, including educational toys,

t401111K.,_.!-40

vs.

Display from the Wilkie Cumberbatch School, Barbados.

books and equipment for games. Lack of the proper materialswas a continuing concern throughout the Conference. Anumber of suggestions were made for ways to secure localproduction of materials, as a means of promoting economicgrowth while also satisfying the needs of the early childhoodprogrammes.

Thus, Mrs. Catherine Blackman, Education Officer - Nurseryand Infant Education, Barbados suggested that the wholeCaribbean should come together to make their own teachingmaterials to reflect the lives of the children, their environmentand their culture. Mrs. Davies proposed pooling of resourcesbetween countries, suggesting that it should be possible to findappropriate ways to share even copyright materials. There wassome interest from Mr. Desmond Durant, Project Officer forHuman Resources Development with the CaribbeanDevelopment Bank, in supporting materials productionprojects. For her part, Senator Forde reminded participants thatflour and dye made a good substitute for plasticine, and localcarpenters could provide blocks of wood that were scrap forthem but could serve children as building blocks.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The model of the "Parent Volunteer Support Programme"described by Dr. Goodridge reflected another important strandthat ran throughout the Conference: the conviction thateffective early childhood education requires the full support ofparents and the broader community.

During one of the discussion periods, Mrs. Rosamund Renardof Saint Lucia emphasized this."I think there is a need to understand quality and that qualitycannot be achieved unless all stakeholders are involved,stakeholders being the children, the staff, the volunteers,government, private sector, parents, board and the widercommunity. Naturally, this is arrived at through continuededucation and through the meaningful involvement of thedifferent stakeholders...

21

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education c5ummory %port

Senator Cynthia Forde, of Barbados (second from left) addresses the Conference.

"When community-based early childhood education isrealized, financed and sustainability is achieved. There is aninput of money through individual donors from thecommunity, and through other community fundraising andprobably almost as much as half comes from individual donorsin the community or in the larger diaspora of the nation fromthe community or in the wider diaspora from around the world.

"Financial sustainability is achieved also because time is putin, both by at-risk volunteers, poor people, and middle- andhigher-income volunteers...In addition to this, throughcommunity-based education, when all stakeholders areinvolved, the community achieves pride, dignity, negotiationwith the wider society, reciprocal responsibility anddemocracy. For this to be achieved, there is a need tostrengthen and sustain NGOs."

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Conference also provided the opportunity for hands-ontraining and professional development in workshops whichcovered four major areas: (1) curriculum development; (2)teacher education and administration; (3) assessment andevaluation of programmes and practices; and (4) schools andcommunities in partnership.

Curriculum Development

Over ten workshops covered a diverse range of issues underthis theme. The role that early childhood education plays in thedevelopment of a number of skills was highlighted, focussingspecifically on the use of cooperative learning activities topromote academic learning through peer cooperation and

communication; articulatorymechanisms and strategies whichassist children in acquiringcommunicative competence in thedevelopment of their oral languageskills; and the use of literature in theearly childhood classroom as a meansof developing life long readers. Theexploratory element involved in theinteractive use of computers in theclassroom was also recommended as ameans for the development of youngminds.

Building the skills and values necessaryfor daily live in a peaceful, healthy anddemocratic society were also amongthe issues discussed in workshopsessions. It was agreed that skilldevelopment need to start from infancyand be reinforced throughout a child'slife, both in and out of school.

Creative Arts - dance, puppetery,music and drama - was presented as a very importantcomponent of the Early Childhood Education Programme.The workshops in these areas proposed rationales for theirintegration into the Early Childhood Education curriculum,and highlighted a number of meaningful activities to whichchildren can be exposed. The sessions, which wereinteractive, featured singing, listening, rhythm and movement,and showed their usefulness in stimulating learning, andhelping the child to develop his/her attention span, followdirections, retain infomation, sequence activities and aid inproblem solving and conflict resolution.

Teacher education and administration

A major workshop in this area spearheaded by ErdistonTeachers' Training College, Barbados focussed on the impactof staff development on teachers and assessed this influence onschool improvement. Other sessions in this area focussed onmore specialised areas. One workshop examined the key roleplayed by the early childhood educator in the identification andtreatment of children experiencing developmental delays anddisabilities. It examined the general goals of early education ofyoung children with these characteristics, and the knowledge,attitudes and approaches which are most effective in cateringto these special needs. Another workshop focussed on theidentification and teaching of gifted students. The presentationnoted that there was no consensus on the definition ofgiftedness, and featured discussions on the academically,creatively, kinesthetically and psychologically gifted.

Participants also benefitted from a session on interpersonalskills, which aimed at improving teacher/parent/childcollaboration in the best interest of children.

22

15

16


Assessment and Evaluation

Workshops in this area ranged from theassessment of early childhood literacy toearly childhood care and education curriculain Trinidad and Tobago. In the latter, theEarly Childhood Environment Rating Scale(ECERS) and the Classroom PracticesInventory (CPI) were used to assess theearly childhood environment and thequality of curricula in diverse setting inTrinidad and Tobago. The findings werethat centres in Trinidad and Tobago are ofan inadequate quality on a number ofmeasures. However, it also found thatpublic centres are of a higher qualitycompared to those which are owned ormanaged privately.

PLANT 1)SUCCESS AT

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Also featuring Trinidad and Tobago was aworkshop which examined aspects of quality care evident insome infant/toddler group care settings in Trinidad. Here theneed for adequate legislation and a governmental bodyresponsible for registration, licensing and supervision ofcentres was highlighted. Issues such as financing, total qualitymanagement, meeting the needs of the changing familystructure, training of staff, programme content, alternatives togroup care and the encroaching threat of AIDS were alsodiscussed.

Schools and communities in partnerships

The increasing recognition of the ways in which parent-schoolrelationships can be enhanced for the mutual benefit of theschools, families and their communities was the central focusof the remaining seven workshops. To this end, three regionalexamples were explored, the Jamaican and St. Lucianexperience in implementing community-based models of pre-school education; and the Parent Volunteer SupportProgramme of the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs andCulture and the National Council of Parent TeacherAssociations (NCPTA) in Barbados. The latter is aimed atimplementing policy for the provision of quality EarlyChildhood Education, and involves parents working inpartnership with principals and nursery unit teachers in a pilotprogramme involving twelve selected primary schools, and inten schools which participated voluntarily. Activities haveincluded the development and use of portfolio assessment andprofiling, checklists on literacy and social expertise, andchildren's reading materials.

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Display from the Ignatius Byer Primary School, Barbados.

Strong emphasis was placed in the workshops on the parent/teacher interface. An overview of the stages of parenting waspresented, including approaches to parent development andparental expectations and roles throughout the child's growthcycle.

Special issues within this theme of schools and communities inpartnerships included, the inter-relation between home andschool in maximising practical mathematical opportunities inthe home which can enhance the learning experience; and therequirements of parents with special needs children, and thestrategies which teachers can use to provide support. In thelatter, a model for designing parental involvement waspresented.

Enhancing the coping skills of parents and teachers of childrenin conflict situations was also addressed. In this session issuessuch as the breakdown in parent/child relationships and theincrease in disruptive behaviours of children at home and in theclassroom were considered. The workshop presentedcommunication and problem solving skills as effectivestrategies for resolving conflicts and enhancing the parent/child, teacher/child relationships, and to promote partnershipsbetween parents and teachers. The National Council of ParentTeacher Associations (NCPTA) of Barbados, ParentEducation for Development in Barbados (PAREDOS) and theBarbados Child Care Board were but three of the resourceorganisations which hosted workshops for the benefit ofparticipants.

23

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood ea'ucation (Summary Deport

INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO EARLY CHILDHOODEDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

Or. Kerida McDonald spoke about her experience with thedevelopment of an integrated approach to early child care inJamaica.

"This story is about integration and how the Jamaican taskforce on the integration and mainstreaming of early childhoodeducation went through a process of trying to achievecommitment to the integrated services of early childhood inJamaica...We have been dealing with programming forchildren in a very isolated fashion, mostly because problemsrelated to children have been looked at in an isolated way,highly specialized, so that nutritional problems are looked atby nutritionists and health problems are looked at by healthspecialists and because of that we have a number of differentdepartments delivering services for children, such as thematernal and child health, nutrition service, dental service,family planning service, and community health service. That'sjust within the Ministry of Health.

"And within the Ministry of Education, pre-school training isgenerally handled by one department while the nutritionconcerns are addressed by others."

In contrast to the way governments organize the delivery ofservices to young children, children themselves develop in anintegrated fashion. Dr. McDonald used the example of how adisease such as diarrhoea affects nutrient uptake, while lowlevels of nutrient uptake weaken the immune system and makethe child more vulnerable to infection.

She added, "Now we have evidence from research that evenpsychosocial elements of development affect nutrition andhealth. There have been studies showing that if babies arestroked and touched there will be better nutrition intake andbetter growth. And if there is psychological stress it would givea converse relationship, there would be lower energymetabolism and a weaker immune response."

The integration initiative in Jamaica was influenced by boththe United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child andby the 1995 Social Summit in Copenhagen. At the nationallevel, four evaluations were considered: the national day careevaluation, the pre-school evaluation, the situation analysis ofchildren and women, and a base-line study conducted byUSAID on disadvantaged youth and the kind of programmaticresponses that could be developed to help them.

Those studies had identified problems which required newapproaches:

fragmentation and duplication of effort in earlychildhood provision;

an increasing number of three-year-olds being dealtwith (inappropriately) in basic schools, which werenot designed for children that young, but basicschools cost less than day care;low coverage by the day care system, particularly inrural areas;repeated transfers of the Day Care Unit among fivedifferent Ministries;inequitable distribution of human resources andcommunity supports for the day care system inrelation to the basic school system, for example, fiveday care officers as compared to 65 basic schoolofficers;lack of curriculum guidance for early childhoodeducation;lack of ongoing day care support programmes;lack of accreditation system for early childhoodeducation personnel in general;inappropriate monitoring systems;inappropriate practice in both day care centres andpre-schools;generally low levels of support for, understanding of,and commitment to early child development by thegovernment and the public sector.

The integration task force came together as a result ofdiscussions sparked by a meeting to develop the new UNICEFCountry Programme for 1997-2000 for Jamaica. The task forcetook as its mission, "To mobilize the energies and resources ofall relevant players and to advise the government on theeffective integration of systems for improvement andexpanded delivery of early childhood education, care anddevelopment services."

The task force then developed proposals for integratedprogramming which were presented to the Ministries of Healthand Education and to the Planning Institute. These included amodel for integration and a plan for the implementation of theinitial phase of the integration programme. A committee hasnow been set up within the Ministry of Education to carry thework of integration forward.

World Bank funding was granted for specific integrationsactivities, such as the competency workshops conducted by theCaribbean Child Development Centre and the Institute ofEducation at the University of the West Indies to design levelsof competency that would be required for teachers across thesystem.

Dr. McDonald identified several reasons for the task force'ssuccess in securing acceptance of the concept of integratedapproaches to child development programming.

24

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary 9?epori

The task force had access to substantive research whichprovided factual support for their proposals. They had a forumin which to present issues and enable stakeholders to recognizecommon problems. Although the task force was not appointedby any Ministry or Department, it had a high level ofrepresentation in key posts. And the definition of the mission inthe early stages of the task force's work assured "that there wasa shared understanding of what we were trying to do".

Members of the task force were able to do "a lot of sensitizationand lobbying". In addition to direct advocacy withgovernment officials, they also used television and radio toshare experiences and explain their objectives. They were alsoable to provide models which showed what the task force wastrying to achieve in clear and comprehensible terms. Finally,the task force members were sensitive to process and protocol

they knew whom to speak to, when to speak, what to say andhow to say it so as to be sure of favourable hearing.

One of the models the task force used came from andintegrated service programme for children up to age six in thePhilippines. Dr. McDonald explained that this programmeuses a life cycle approach which recognizes that children needdifferent kinds and combinations of services at different ages.In Jamaica, the Early Childhood Resource Centre is the focusfor implementing the integration initiative, in the Ministry ofEducation, the Day Care Unit and the Early Childhood Unit toincrease the monitoring capacity of the day care system. Daycare centres and basic schools will now be dealt with together,rather than separately, and there is a plan to promote creation ofday care sections in existing pre-schools, "where there is anappropriate learning environment for them" to facilitatetransition from day care to pre-school.

Community services will be coordinated by Community ChildPromoters, para-professionals trained to deliver both healthand nutrition information to parents, and to teach themstimulation activities they can do with their children. This is a home-based programme which will work closely with health centres.

Dr. McDonald noted that, "at the policy level, there will be aneffort for the different Ministries to work together on policiesthat affect children globally". For example, the Ministry of

lo

Labour might be encouraged to adopt a more responsive post-natal policy for mothers, or expand maternity leave. There arealso plans to encourage workplace day care. The Ministry ofHousing could develop a policy for new housing complexes torequire facilities to meet early childhood needs.

It is hoped that there will be mobile units, based in the EarlyChildhood Resource Centre, to take parenting education intothe communities, and to promote income-generating projects(such as a carpentry co-op that could produce educationalmaterials, or a sewing co-op to make school uniforms).

The integrated approach will be supported by a communitynetwork, including the Basic School Association, ParishBoards and Zone Action Committees. It is hoped that the BasicSchool Association and the Day Care Association will holdjoint meetings to address shared concerns.

The PROFILE Project provides the technical means forintegrated monitoring of the situation of children and theireducational environment. The information will be compiledfrom existing data systems in the Ministry of Education and theMinistry of Health. Once consolidated, the information will begiven to the Planning Institute of Jamaica to serve as the basisof policy design.

Dr. McDonald also described "a very potent strategy" forcommunity data collection and planning being used in thePhilippines, called "the Minimum Basic Needs Approach".Community leaders collect information about their needs inrelation to children regularly from every household in thecommunity, using indicators developed by line Ministries andcommunity representatives to cover everything that is

absolutely essential for the well-being of children. Oncecollected, the information is represented schematically onmaps of the community, so that the community can see wherethe needs are, prioritize problems and identify resources thatcan be used to solve them.

As the integrated approach is introduced in Jamaica, allchannels of information dissemination, including parenteducation programmes and the mass media, will be used tostress the importance of early childhood education.

25

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education oummaty 9eport

MOBILIZING SUPPORTDEVE LOPNIE NT AGENCIES WITH COVE RNNIE NT/NGO/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

9epresentatives of seven development agencies or banksactive in the Caribbean region outlined the ways in which theiragencies were currently involved in supporting earlychildhood education and development activities, andsuggested possible options for the future. While UNESCOwas unable to be represented in this session Mrs. ColleenWinter-Brathwaite, had earlier reminded participants in herremarks to the Opening Ceremony of "UNESCO'scommitment to the provision of basic education" and in heropinion "no education can be more basic in the truest sensethan early childhood education"

INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Ms. Pamela Williams, Representative, Inter-AmericanDevelopment Bank, based in Barbados, began her presentationby apologizing for the fact that the IDB was not able to provideinformation specifically on support to early childhooddevelopment because these programmes are usuallyincorporated into larger social sector projects which haveseveral components.

She explained, "During the past three years, IDB lending to thesocial sectors reached nearly US$9 billion, compared withUS$21.5 billion of Bank financing for these sectors since theBank's founding in 1959. In 1996, the Bank approved US$2.8billion to finance 40 operations in the areas of health andsanitation, urban development, education, environment,micro-enterprise, and social investment funds in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean. This significant increase inresources for social sector development reflects the Bank'scommitment to dedicate 40 percent of its lending resources tothe development of the social sectors."

In the education sector, she noted that there was a difference inproject funding between those countries where primaryenrolment is close to 100 percent and those where schoolcoverage is still limited.

In the former, "financing tends to be devoted to renovation ofinfrastructure, development of curricula, improvement ofteacher performance, and increasing the capacity to plan andmanage education. These qualitative improvements aresupported by improving pupil assessment techniques, teacherevaluation and community participation in the development ofeducation. At the same time, attempts are made to createopportunity for the disadvantaged and those who may havemissed out on education earlier in life."

In countries with limited education coverage, "Bank projectsare placing more emphasis on expanding access to basiceducation, teacher training programmes, the procurement ofbasic educational materials, and fundamental reforms in

school curricula, delivery systems, teacher incentives, and thebalancing of the budget among the different levels ofeducation."

In the future, IDB programmes will focus primarily on skillstraining, improvements to primary and secondary education,expansion of pre-school services, development of science andtechnology programmes, and broad education sector reform.

Ms. Williams described the various sources of IDB funding,including the ordinary capital resources fund, concessionalfunding for special operations in countries with the highestpoverty indices, and the Multilateral Investment Fund, whichprovides grants for policy reforms, legislative change andhuman resource development.

She added that the Inter-American Institute for SocialDevelopment plays an important role in helping to developinstitutional capacity for social policy formulation and socialmanagement.

Access to IDB funding for agencies in member countries isthrough governments, NGOs and community groups.Agencies in non-member countries can gain access to IDBfunds through the Caribbean Development Bank.

CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

The Caribbean Development Bank was represented by Mr.Herman Grant, Chief Project Officer for Human ResourcesDevelopment, who spoke during the Opening Ceremony of theConference, and by Mr. Desmond Durant, Project Officer forHuman Resources Development, who participated in the donorpanel.

In his remarks, Mr. Grant explained that the CaribbeanDevelopment Bank has been paying more attention to humandevelopment, in which education takes pride of place. Henoted that the Bank is looking at the challenges of the entireeducation sector.

He said, "We're trying to look at the financing of relevanteducation, meaning education which is rooted in our socialcondition, within this Caribbean region. We also need to lookat the delivery in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Weneed to make sure that we are meeting our developmentobjectives in the area of education. And, of course, when welook at education, we need to recognize the need to have equity,because within our systems there are people who are poor, whoare destitute, who require access to education which normallywould be the duty of government, but sometimes incooperation with the private sector or development banks wecould come up with a package that meets the needs of thesepeople."

26

20

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary 9epcni

In his presentation, Mr. Durant reiterated that support toeducation and training was a relatively new area of focus forthe CDB. "In its first 23 years of operation, CDB contributedUS$46.8 million to the education sector, mainly throughstudent loan schemes...about US$2.3 million per year. After1993, however, ... we see a substantial increase in the resourcesof CDB going to human resource development projects. Forthe last three years, something like US$34.5 million wereallocated to education and training, which amounted to aboutUS$11.5 million per year."

CDB has provided assistance to basic education, continuingstudies and distance education, teacher training, curriculumdevelopment, and materials provision. Mr. Durant noted thatsupport provided to basic education has been at the primarylevel, and has not included pre-primary activities. However,grant money is also available through the Basic Needs TrustFund for community activities in poor areas, which mayinclude the establishment and operation of community daycare centres or pre-schools. Further CDB support is providedto micro and small enterprises and, in this connection, therewas interest on the part of CDB representatives throughout theConference in the possibility of supporting local production ofmaterials for early childhood education.

The CDB provides loans and grants to governments and theprivate sector, with direct assistance possible to micro andsmall enterprises.

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAGENCY

Mrs. Phyllis Roett, Project Officer for CIDA at the CanadianHigh Commission in Barbados, described the ways in whichCIDA assists education activities in the Caribbean.

CIDA is supporting a regional education reform project, witha budget of CDN$12 million, that deals with such matters ascurriculum development. There is also a regional humanresources development project, although that is moreconcerned with promoting economic competitiveness.

Perhaps the most useful funding source for agencies workingin the field of early childhood education and development isthe Canada Fund, which provides grants directly to more than300 NGOs in the Eastern Caribbean from the HighCommission in Barbados. Similar funds are operated by theother Canadian missions in the region. Although the totalamount available for project support has declined in recentyears, as part of the general reduction in budgets, the CanadaFund still provides resources for significant social projects.

As Mrs. Roett explained, "the Canada Fund spends almost halfits allocation on pre-school, child care centres, adolescentcentres, mother and child services..."

NGOs and community-based organizations can makesubmissions directly to the Canadian mission that isresponsible for relations in their country. The Canada Fundcannot pay salaries, and projects supported must besustainable, with additional sources of long-term support.Accurate costing and full project documentation must beprovided, and applicants should be able to demonstrate a trackrecord in the area in which they are requesting assistance.

UNITED STATES EMBASSY

Mr. Donald Holm, Deputy Chief of the United States Embassyin Barbados, described the support that the US governmentprovides to the work of UNICEF, which represents the majorway that funding is provided for social sector activities in theCaribbean region.

In 1996, the US government contributed US$100 million toUNICEF for general resources. The US government also hasmade substantial contributions to supplementary andemergency programmes.

The US National Committee for UNICEF also raises funds tosupport UNICEF programmes. In 1995, they raised US$13.8million.

UNICEF

As one of the major sponsors of the Second CaribbeanConference on Early Childhood Education, UNICEF isalready recognized as a major supporter of activity in this areathroughout the Caribbean.

At the start of the Conference, Ms. Cassie Landers, a consultantwith the Early Childhood Cluster at UNICEF Headquarters inNew York, described the general basis for UNICEF'sincreasing interest, over the years, in early childhooddevelopment programmes. She outlined the programmeapproaches and strategies favoured by UNICEF, whichinclude: educating caregivers, promoting communitydevelopment, service delivery, strengthening national resourcesand capabilities, advocacy to strengthen demand and increaseawareness, development of national child care and familypolicies, and development of supportive legal and regulatoryframeworks.

Mr. Juan Carlos Espinola, Programme Coordinator in theUNICEF Caribbean Area Office in Barbados, presented theplans UNICEF has made for supporting early childhooddevelopment over the next five years. He explained that theprogramme he was describing applied to the area covered bythe UNICEF Caribbean Area Office, which is responsible forprogrammes in 14 countries in the English-speakingCaribbean and Suriname. The Area Office is in Barbados, andthere are sub-offices in Guyana and Jamaica, the latter of whichwill become a full country office as at 1 June 1997. The office

27


in Belize comes under the responsibility of the UNICEF officefor Central America, in Guatemala. Other Caribbean countries

Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti have their ownindependent UNICEF offices and individual programmes.

UNICEF CAO has allocated a total of US$1,650,000 from thegeneral resources of UNICEF for early childhood developmentactivities in the Eastern Caribbean. UNICEF will also belooking for an additional US$1,750,000 in supplementaryfunding from donor governments and UNICEF NationalCommittees.

The Caribbean regional project will include support for policydevelopment, curriculum development, teacher training, localmaterials production and technical assistance.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Ms. Ruth Houliston, Associate Economic Adviser in theEuropean Community Delegation in Barbados, explained theways in which the EC provides assistance in the Caribbeanregion.

The European Commission grants assistance to to countries inAfrica, the Caribbean and the Pacific which are signatories ofthe Lome Convention. There are two main mechanisms. Thefirst, Programmable Aid provides support for national andregional indicative programmes.

In these programmes, human resources development is animportant sector of activity, with approximately Barbados$30million earmarked for human resources development in allproject countries. This is focused on secondary and tertiarylevel education, language development, vocational and skillstraining, procurement of equipment and materials, support tocommunity colleges and teacher training, and strategy andpolicy support.

There are no specific early childhood education activitiesincluded in the national or regional indicative programmes atthis stage, but support is provided to education for mothers andchildren through the Mother and Child Health budget line in

cooperation with the International Planned ParenthoodFederation in London. Support is also provided for watersupply programmes in rural communities.

The other funding mechanism is Non-Programmable Aid. Thisincludes STABEX, an assistance programme for countries thatsuffer losses in primary export earning, and includes povertyalleviation, and support for diversification in agriculture andthe wider economy.

NGO co-financing provides support to enable European NGOsand those in project countries to forge links through theimplementation of development programmes.

Decentralized Cooperation provides direct assistance to localpublic authorities, grassroots organizations and NGOs.

CARICOM

On behalf of the Caribbean Community, Mrs. Myrna Bernard,Senior Project Officer for Education, explained that theCARICOM Secretariat was taking a greater role in helping tomobilize support for regional projects.

Although CARICOM had no projects of its own, as yet, inearly childhood education, it was supporting various projectswhich could provide reinforcement to regional early childhoodactivities. These include a distance education programme forteachers (in a pilot phase), a gender awareness project fortraining institutions ( just beginning), and the provision ofmodel legislation to assist with legislative reform in severalareas.

Mrs. Bernard noted that the CARICOM Secretariat would beinterested in cooperating with governments, NGOs and thenew Caribbean Association for Early Childhood Educationand Development, especially for the development of earlychildhood education projects, "since we see this as one of theimportant areas... and one of the areas that has been neglectedfor too long now".

2621

22


THE NEXT STAGE Mrs. Grace MacCaskie-Wint, Co-ordinatorof the Drafting Committee of the Constitutionfor Caribbean Association.

REGIONAL ASSOCIATION

gidraft constitution for the Caribbean Association for EarlyChildhood Education and Development was considered by theparticipants at the Conference.

Participants adopted unanimously a resolution that approvedin principle the establishment of the Association, with thefollowing objectives:

1. Advancement of early childhood education anddevelopment throughout the Caribbean;

2. Setting up of a framework for the development ofearly childhood education and developmentprogrammes in the Caribbean;

3. Addressing of issues relating to early childhoodeducation and development in the Caribbean in termsof policy, structures and implementation;

4. Facilitation of a system of networking earlychildhood education and development bodies,organisations and personnel regionally andinternationally; and

5. Encouragement and facilitation of the formation ofnational organisations throughout the Caribbean.

A Steering Committee was appointed to continue the processof establishing the Association, which should be completed bythe time of the Third Caribbean Conference in 1999.Participants were asked to take the draft constitution back totheir national bodies for review and to send comments andsuggestions for changes to the Steering Committee.

In her closing summary of the Conference, Chairperson Ms.Shelley Ashby commended participants for approving theestablishment of the Caribbean Association, which will serveas an umbrella body for all early childhood education activitiesin the region.

Ms. Ashby also reported that the preparation of the directory ofearly childhood professionals, para-professionals and supportingagencies in the region was well under way.

PLAN OF ACTION

A significant product of the Second Caribbean Conference onEarly Childhood Education was the approval of the CaribbeanPlan of Action for Early Childhood Education, Care andDevelopment for the period 1997 to 2002.

The Plan had been developed by a task force composed ofregional experts, under the leadership of UNICEF, and it wasreviewed, revised and finalized by a committee composed ofthose experts and the heads of all national delegations to theConference, working outside the formal Conference sessions.The adoption of the Plan of Action was seen as a turning point

for early childhoodeducation anddevelopment in the region.Each element of the Planis designed to beimplemented in threephases.

The first phase willinvolve a number oforganisational activities,and the development ofplanning processes ineach country.

The second phase covers the improvement of existing services,the introduction of new service models and staff training.

The third phase will see the systematisation of services andmeasures to ensure sustainability through monitoring support,evaluation, and the establishment of training systems.


legislative framework for coordinated provision ofservices and monitoring standards in this sector;integrated social planning and implementation ofinitiatives;adequate financingequitable access to quality provisions to minimize theplight of the large percentage of children in high risksituations;education and training for all providers of earlychildhood education and development;appropriate curriculum development and materialsdevelopment;increased parent, community and media awarenessand involvement;coordinated action at both national and regionallevels; andincreased research to inform development of thesector.

The Plan of Action contains detailed descriptions of issues tobe addressed, the current situation, constraints andopportunities, goals and targets, and recommendations forstrategies and actions, and for the organisations that shouldtake responsibility.The Plan of Action is intended as a generalguideline. It will likely be revised and adapted in each countryto ocal priorities, needs and circumstances. The length of

(Second Caribbean Conference on &rig Childhood 6ducation dummarg 9epori

time taken for each phase in each component of the Plan willvary, depending on the amount of work that needs to be done.

Nevertheless, it is expected that the Plan of Action will befully implemented in all countries of the region by the year2002.

Dr. Kerida McDonald, one of the experts who worked on thepreparation of the Plan of Action, explained that a glossary ofterms would be included to ensure that all those using the Planwould have the same understanding of what is proposed.

She also explained the decision to define the age rangecovered by the plan as from birth to eight years. This isintended to ensure a smooth transition for children from pre-school to primary school, by promoting the carry-over ofmethods and approaches employed in day care and pre-schoolsettings into the first years of primary school.

After some discussion, for clarification of terms used and theprocess to be followed, the Plan of Action was enthusiasticallyadopted by the participants in the Conference.

In her final remarks, Ms. Shelley Ashby said, "We mustensure that this Plan of Action becomes a reality. I amconvinced that the goals and opportunities and suggestions sowell detailed in the document will spur the powers that be intoaction. After this Conference, make every effort to ensure thatthese documents are effectively utilized by the relevantpersonnel, so as to improve early childhood programme andthe quality of such in your regions."

A CONTINUING PROCESS

In her presentation, Mrs. Janet Brown had linked the workdone at the Second Caribbean Conference on Early ChildhoodEducation with the Caribbean Conference on the Rights of theChild in October 1996.

Mrs Myrna Bernard explained that the results of thisConference, including the Plan of Action, would be includedin the deliberations of the special session of the CARICOMStanding Committee of Ministers of Education, which wouldmeet in Barbados in May to plan for the special discussion ofHuman Resources Development that was on the agenda of the18th meeting of Heads of Government, scheduled for July.

She said, "No regional action can be taken effectively withoutthe agreement and support of individual governments" andshe encouraged participants to undertake advocacy with theirgovernments, when they returned home, for adoption andsupport of the Plan of Action, so that when the Ministers ofEducation arrive at the meeting of the Standing Committee,they will already have had a chance to review and understandthe Plan.

4

Official Rapporteurs to the Conference.

She promised that CARICOM would ensure the earlychildhood education and development concerns were givenprominent attention in the documentation prepared fordiscussions of Human Resources Development at the Headsof Government meeting.

IN CONCLUSION

Ms. Shelley Ashby, in her capacity as Chairperson of theConference, summarized the results of the Second CaribbeanConference on Early Childhood Education. "After a week ofintense discussion and workshops, we are pleased to state thatwe have achieved our major objectives."

Not only was the Conference able to produce a RegionalAction Plan, which the Minister of Education, Youth Affairsand Culture, Barbados and Chairperson of the CARICOMStanding Committee of Ministers of Education, had earlierpledged to recommend to her regional colleagues, but alsoprovided a valuable forum for hands-on training andprofessional upgrading of ECE practioners.

Delegates were able to derive practical applications at severallevels throughout the Conference - from field visits to modelBarbados centres for new ideas, and from workshops aimed atstrengthening specific skills (e.g. the use of drama and music,or activities to develop children's social sills and self-esteem),from taking in the educational and commercial displays, togaining a data gathering tool needed for planning, adapting apolicy and programme development frame for addressingnational priorities for early childhood provisions, or obtainingdirection on investment financing.

Two other direct regional benefits emerged from theorganization of the Conference. Press conferences were helddaily with plenary presenters and workshop leaders which

30


highlighted the day's activities and themes. Theprint and electronic coverage of the Conference notonly in Barbados but throughout the region via theCaribbean Broadcasting Union raised awareness ofseveral issues of early childhood during the weekand in special features after the Conference ended.

The mix of national delegations which comprised inthe main, a senior government policy-maker, anearly childhood training representative from ateacher's college or similar facility, a representativeof any national organization or association for earlychildhood educators and a practioner representative,ensured that regional networking could take placeat both policy and programmatic levels, andaugured well for the continuing dialogue andaction.

The final satisfaction seemed to be at the growingrecognition within the region that early childhoodeducators and service providers are being taken more seriouslyas critical nation builders.

24

OTT

McGraw Hill Publishing Company and Days Book Store make a presentationto Ms Shelley Ashby, President.

31

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary %port

APPENDICES

25

32

26

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood educalion (Summary Deport

TOMORROW BEGINS TODAY

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY LILIAN G. KATZ, PH.D.AT THE OPENING CEREMONY ON APRIL 1, 1997

9t is a special honor to participate in this second CaribbeanConference on Early Childhood Education. Though I haveworked in eight of the Caribbean countries over the last twodecades, clearly I know much less about the political andpractical issues confronting the families and teachers who liveand work in them. I want therefore to caution you that the ideasand observations I offer today are based on my own experienceand study obtained largely in the U.S. I realize they may not fitvery well with the traditions, constraints and contexts thatinfluence your work. Therefore I leave it to you to judge theirrelevance to your own situations.

Having said that, however, I must add that extensiveexperience of working with our early childhood colleagues inmany countries suggests that those who do the same kind ofwork across countries often understand each other better thando those within their own countries who occupy different roleswithin the field. It is likely, for example, that teachers of youngchildren understand each other across our countries moreeasilyperhaps even betterthan they understand or areunderstood by the officials who make policy within their owncountries. In other words, the nature of our work, roles, andresponsibilities may be a more powerful determinant of ourassumptions, beliefs, and ideologies than are the largernational and political systems and cultural contexts in whichthat work is performed.

To turn to the theme of this conference: "Tomorrow BeginsToday," I want to suggest five ways in which what we do withand for children today is related to all of their tomorrows.

1) The lasting Effects of Early Experience

First, the evidence is now virtually irrefutable that anyprovisions for young childrenwhether in the home or outsideof itthat is less than top quality represents missedopportunities to make substantial contributions to the rest oftheir lives. Today, no one argues against that statement. Somemay argue about what is meant by top quality; some argueabout who is or should be responsible for the quality ofprovisions, and certainly many argue about how to fund them.But no one today with serious educational and social policy-making responsibility for a community or a country wouldnow argue against the proposition that the experiences of theearly years of life have a powerful influence on all later ones.

2) The Critical Period of Neurological Development

Second, we are meeting at a time of dramatic new research onthe development of the neurological system, particularly the

Appendix I

brain (Abbott, 1997; Sylwester, 1995). As Rutter(1992) point out, "As early as six months, the brain has reachedhalf its final mature weight...Indeed, the brain reaches 90 percent of its final weight by the age of five...[and...is] mostvulnerable to damage during this phase of rapid growth" (p.37). Based on current research I think we can draw at least thefollowing three implications:

& Rutter

(i) The new research on neurological developmentindicates that approximately 80%-85% of theneurological pathways a person ultimately acquireswill develop during the first six years of life, and therate of growth is steepest in the earliest of those years.

(ii) Inadequate, faulty, or damaged neurological systemsare not spontaneously repaired or regenerated aseasily as other kinds of body tissue; to the extent thatrepair or alternative neurological pathways can bedeveloped, the capacity to do so diminishes after theearly years.

(iii) The human brain is much more a pattern-seeking thanpattern-receivinq organ. Thus the early years shouldbe marked by active exploration in rich and safeenvironments. In other words, good quality programsinclude frequent opportunity for children to interactwith each other, with adults and with theirenvironments in ways that will support their inbornquest for discerning cause-effect relations, thesequences of events, and other patterns around them.

3) All Children Have Lively Minds

Third, children come to our early childhood programs withdifferent amounts of exposure to books, stories, being read to,holding and using pencils, having their questions answered,encouragement to read signs, and other kinds of experiencesthat help them adapt and adjust to school and the academicexercises so typical of the classroom. But all children come toschool with lively minds, with the inborn disposition to makesense of their experience, of their observations, and of theirfeelings (See Katz, 1995, Ch. 3). In other words, just becausechildren have not been exposed to knowledge and skills relatedto literacy and numeracy at home does not mean that they don'thave lively minds or lack intelligence.

Young children compelled by circumstances to cope with therisks and vagaries of the streets or neighborhood often developpowerful intellectual capacities to predict, hypothesize, andanalyze the contingencies they face. As long as children live in

;33

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary %eport

a reasonably predictable environment marked by optimum(versus maximum or minimum) stimulation and challenge,their intelligence will grow. However, for children trying togrow in environments that are chaotic, unresponsive,excessively irrational, or unpredictable, the most adaptiveresponse is to give up the natural pattern-seeking behavior.This research then reminds us again to resist the temptation toattribute low expectations to children who have not beenexposed to early literacy and other school-related skills andknowledge.

I take this opportunity also to suggest that all of us keep in mindthe distinction between academic and intellectual aspects ofdevelopment and learning. Academic goals are served bypresenting children with worksheets, drills, and other kinds ofexercises designed to start them on basic literacy and numeracyskills. Academic tasks are small, disembedded items usuallytaught in isolation, requiring right answers, relying heavily onmemory, the application of formulae (versus understanding),and the regurgitation of specific items learned from formalinstruction. Furthermore, academic tasks are devoted tolearning skills rather than to deepening understanding.

I do not wish to imply that academic tasks are never useful orappropriate. On the contrary, they have an important place ineducationas children grow older. In other words, theinclusion of academic tasks in the curriculum is not merely aneducational issue, it is a developmental issue in that we mustask: At what point in children's development are academicexercises most appropriate?

Intellectual goals and activities, on the other hand, are focusedon the life of the mind in its fullest sense, including itsaesthetic, moral and spiritual sensibilities. The formaldefinition of the term intellectual emphasizes reasoning, theprocesses of reflection, the development and analysis of ideas,and other creative uses of the mind.

The most important intellectual dispositions are inborn andmust be strengthened and supported rather than undermined bypremature academic pressures. The disposition to make senseof experience, for example, is inborn in all humans. Similarly,the dispositions to predict, analyze, synthesize, hypothesize,and to wonder, and so forth, are similarly inborn in all children.Young children are natural born scientists, anthropologists,and linguists. Indeed, toddlers are often so eager to test theirhypotheses and predictions that without appropriate supervi-sion they are likely to inflict serious bodily harm onthemselves! Their endless disposition to explore theirenvironments and everything in them frequently wears outtheir caretakers.

Again, if these dispositions are not supported, strengthenedand appreciated, or are otherwise undermined, they are verydifficult to replace later in life. Thus such dispositions meritconcern when considering the long term consequences of theirneglect rather than short term gains accrued by the academic

experiences we provide to young children. As I have alreadysuggested, just because young children don't have experiencesat home that prepare them for the academic tasks of the schooldoes not mean that they lack intellectual dispositions orabilities.

4) The Critical Period in Social Development

Evidence has been accumulating for more than twenty-fiveyearsprimarily in North Americathat unless childrenachieve minimal social competence by about the age of six,plus or minus a half a year, the child is at risk for the rest of hisor her life (See Katz & McClellan, in press). In this aspect ofdevelopment, the critical period of the first six years is not dueto any limitations of the brain and its development. Rather, it isbecause of what is known as the recursive cycle, namely, thatwhatever pattern of social behavior a child has, the chances arethat others will react to the child so that the pattern will bestrengthened. If a child is friendly and approachable, otherswill welcome his or her company, engage and interact with thechild, from which the child will gain confidence as a socialparticipant, and due to which opportunities to polish availableskills and acquire new ones will increase. In this way a childwho is easy to like becomes more likablein a positiverecursive cycle.

Similarly, a child who is difficult to approach or interact withis often avoided by others, which in turn limits his or heropportunities to acquire new skills, to polish and practicealready available ones, and therefore the child becomes lesslikable. Similarly, children who are aggressive typicallyapproach others so as to be rejected by them, and tend to returnto and repeat the rejected behavior more intensely, andgradually become excluded from peer interaction andopportunities to improve their skillsin a negative cycle.

It is important to note then, that for likable and unlikablechildren, their approach to (or withdrawal from) others occursin a recursive cycle that feeds on itself, and that the child (in thenegative cycle) cannot break it by him or herself. Even adultswith social difficulties cannot usually break a negative cyclewithout the help of very good friends or counselors, due mainlyto the fact that social interaction is and should be largelyspontaneous and unselfconscious behavior.

We now know a lot about how to help young children caught ina negative cycle. But we also know that help has to be offeredearly! A child of three- or four-years-old can be helped in amatter of weeks. But if we wait until a child is eight- or eleven-years-old or older, we will need the whole state mental healthagencyand it still may be too late. By the time children reachthe age of about ten, they have been accumulating so muchfirst-hand evidence of their unlikability that it is hard for themto believe they could be liked by anyone whose acceptance andliking they would value. They are unlikely to attributecredibility to a counselor's or social worker's assertion that heor she "likes him," no matter how well meant.

'd 4

28

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood educaiion (Summary 9eport

There is also some reason to suspect that children who arerejected by their peers early and repeatedly eventually findeach other, and that they get from each other a sense ofbelonging and intimacy based on their shared bitterness andhostility to the rest of the community (Dishion, et al. 1991).Such groups then have a deep and vested interest in avoidingpositive relationships with the out-group; on the contrary, theirdeep feelings of belonging to their in-group are endangered byperceiving their adversaries in a positive light. As such,resolving conflicts threatens their sense of intimacy with thepeers in their group. Such groups of disaffected youth areanalogous to having time bombs in our own back gardens. Thedeep and intense emotions at work in these cases are most likelydeveloped very early in life.

I have suggested that today we know more than ever beforeabout how to help such children. What we know also is thatteachers cannot help them unless the teacher/pupil ratio is lowenough to permit frequent individualized interaction betweenchildren and adults, and close monitoring of social engagementin the classroom. Indeed, I would suggest that any teacher whoworks with children six-years-old or under should have atminimum, a full-time assistantfor this as well as otherreasons. This appears to many to be an expensive proposal. Butcurrent evidence suggests that we all pay later for neglect ofthese problems in the early years; we pay not only in terms ofthe costs to communities of dealing with social dysfunction,but also in terms of the pain and suffering for all involved. Ofcourse, small class size and good teacher/pupil ratios in and ofthemselves do not guarantee that teachers can help childrenovercome all social difficulties; but large class sizes virtuallymake it impossible to do so.

5) Development and Cultural Identity

Finally, tomorrow also springs from the seeds sewn today interms of the early development of cultural identitya sense ofbelonging to a communityone that is a source of values,norms, support, strength, inspiration, and pride. I note that theDraft Plan of Action presented at this conference is sensitive tothis issue when it states clearly as a goal that programs "Groundpublic and parenting education in local cultures". Thisconstitutes a real challenge in all our countries, and for manyreasons. It is a complex matter not simply of good will or ofteaching and learning about foods, festivals and fashions.

We have to bear in mind that cultures constantly change; theyalways have done, and always will. Often the changes causeinternal within-culture contradictions. Note also that the sagesof the ages have always complained about the behavior of theyouth, about their disrespect for their elders, and claimed thatthe young do with impunity what they themselves never did atthat age. The fact that this lament goes back more than twothousand years suggests that it may be true: that for eachgeneration, the range of permissible behavior steadilywidensfor better or worse!

35

Furthermore, it is a good idea to remember that culture islargely about things we are not aware of until somebody orsomething violates them. We have to bear in mind also, thatjust because people belong to the same culture does not meanthey all agree with each other about how-est to raise or to teachchildren. Indeed, level of income may be a more powerfuldeterminant of child rearing practices than ethnic or culturalgroup. I sometimes wonder whetherrparenting practices aremore similar among the wealthy across cultures than betweenwealthy and poor within cultures. In other words, affluence,within and across cultures, presents opportunities and risks inevery culture. Similarly, poverty may impact on parentingmore negatively in some environments-for example, in bigcitiesthan in small country villages.

When we speak of helping parents with their parenting skills,and when we offer parent-education programs, are wetampering with their cultures? When are we and when aren'twe? These are very difficult issues that we are only justbeginning to examine carefully and reasonably rather thanemotionally. All of us still have much to learn about thisimportant aspect of development and learning from each otheras well as from those families we are trying to serve.

Conclusion

During my experience of working with our colleagues in Indiaearlier this year, I was struck by the frequency with which theydwelt on the subject of what they would do, could do, wish theycould do, if only they had more funds, better space, morematerials, well trained staff, and other much needed and highlydesirable resources. It is quite easy to fall into this mode ofthinking, and certainly very understandable. However, I wantto assure you that I have seen and worked in early childhoodsettings in many places in which ten times, or maybe twenty orthirty times more is spent on facilities, materials, and personnelthan is typical throughout the Caribbean, but in whichsadto say - children's minds are being wasted, in which childrenare engaged in trivial and frivolous activities and prematurepreparation for examinations many tomorrows away, in whichchildren's minds are not any more engaged or enriched thanmany of you achieve here in Caribbean under less than idealconditions.

I have worked with teachers in cities like Chicago, Milwaukee,Washington, D.C., and others in which teachers are unable totake their children outside of the school to explore theneighborhood because the school is the only safe building in it!Similarly, many teachers in such environments in a richcountry like the US cannot engage their children in close studyof their natural environment, not only because of the dangers inthe streets, but because nothing now grows in theneighborhood.

Thus the challenge for many teachers in many countries, bothrich and poor, is to work in less than ideal conditions and yet to


engage their youngsters in experiences worthy of their livelygrowing minds and their developing sensibilities.

Soif tomorrow begins todaywhat should we be doingtoday? I want to close with an idea that comes from"perturbation theory", and it goes like this: imagine if you will,a cyclist riding along a road without difficulty. Suddenly, thefront wheel hits a very small pebble and the bicycle is thrownoff course. The rider falls, is injured, the result of which is thather whole life changes for ever. In other words, perturbationtheory suggests that even apparently very small items andevents can have huge and lasting consequences. What we areasking for and planning for in this conference and with thecreation of the new Caribbean Association for EarlyChildhood Education and Development are huge and lastingconsequences for all the tomorrows for which we areresponsible.

Is there an equivalent or a parallel with the pebble that we canput in place now, today, that will ultimately have the large andlasting consequences we hope for?

I suggest the best way to ensure good education anddevelopment for all the tomorrows is by focusing ourcollective and individual energies on the quality of the day-to-day interactions we have with children so that thoseinteractions are as rich, interesting, engaging, satisfying, andmeaningful as we can make them. For teachers, I suggest: don'tdrain your energy on blaming conditions, politicians, orofficials, or the parents, and anyone or anything else. Save yourenergy for your relationships with the children. For thoseoutside the classroom I suggest focusing on ways to supportteachers in every possible way so that their energy and skillsare not diverted from the essential matter of the daily lives theylead with children.

As said at the first Caribbean Conference on Early ChildhoodEducation in St. Thomas, V. I. in 1994, I really believe each ofus must come to care about everyone else's children. We mustcome to see that the well-being of our own children can only be

secured when the well being of all other peoples children is alsosecure. After all, when one of our own children needs life-saving surgery, someone else's child will perform it; when oneof our own children is harmed by violence in the streets,someone else's child will commit it. But to care about others'children not just a practical matter: it is also the right thing todo!

Remember that whoever might be the leaders, the PrimeMinisters, and Heads of these islands, nations, and territoriesthirty or forty years from now are very likely in someone'searly childhood program today, and I hope these girls arehaving good experiences! We are with the children for a veryshort time during a very important time in their lives. Let'smake it count by giving it all we've got.

References

Abbott, J. (1997). To be intelligent. Educational Leadership.Vol. 54. No.6. 6-10.

Dishion, T. J., Patterson, G. R., Stoolmiller, M., & Skinner, M.L. (1991). Family, school, and behavioral antecedents to earlyadolescent involvement with antisocial peers. DevelopmentalPsychology, 27(1), 172-180.

Katz, L. G., & McClellan, D. (in press). Helping ChildrenDevelop Social Relationships: The First of the Four Rs.Washington, DC. National Association for the Education ofYoung Children.

Katz, L. G. (1995). Talks with teachers of young children. Acollection. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corp.

Rutter. M., & Rutter, M. (1992). Developing minds. Challengeand continuity across the life span. New York: Basic Books.

Sylwester, R. 11995).A celebration of neurons: An educator'sguide to the human brain. Alexandria: VA: Association forSupervision and Development.

36

29

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary 9eport

Appendix 11

CARIBBEAN PLAN OF ACTION

FOR

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION,CARE AND DEVELOPMENT

1997-2002

ADOPTED BY:

THE SECOND CARIBBEAN CONFERENCE

ON

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

AT

DOVER CONVENTION CENTRE, CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS

APRIL 1-5, 1997

37

oecona' Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood education (Summary 9eporl

PREAMBLE

The Delegates

Attending the Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education held at Dover Convention Centre, Christ Church,Barbados on April 1-5, 1997;

Representing as professionals the Caribbean countries of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British VirginIslands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent andthe Grenadines, Suriname, The Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United StatesVirgin Islands;

Aiming to set a framework for the development of early childhood education programmes in the Caribbean and to initiate a planof action to guide this development;

Recognising that the Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified by all Governments in the region;

Desiring to take forward the Belize Commitment to Action for the Rights of the Child;

Noting also the request by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for an input into the Heads of Government Meeting scheduledfor May 1997 with a special focus on Human Resource Development in the Caribbean;

Having considered the situation of early childhood care and development in the Caribbean;

Agree to adopt the attached Plan of Action for Early Childhood Education, Care and Development in the Caribbean, 1997-2002

33

32

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary epori

ECED PLAN OF ACTION 1997-2002

Introduction

Early Childhood, is the formative stage of developmentspanning the period from birth through to eight years. Thisperiod is recognized as the time when young children needsecurity, safety, good nutrition and exposure to concrete andvaried learning experiences. These together will foster theirhealthy development as independent thinkers, enthusiasticlearners and socially responsible citizens. Defining this age-range for early childhood will facilitate the development ofpolicies and programmes to promote smooth transition andcontinuation of fundamental and developmentally appropriatepractices at home, in pre-primary settings, and within earlyprimary schooling. Appropriate Early Childhood Educationand Development (ECED) philosophy, policies, and practicesmust be informed by scientific evidence and concerns forsocial justice, and be in tune with national priorities, culturalrealities and parental expectations.

In the Caribbean, there has been widespread recognition that aswe face the challenges of the new century, with thedevelopment imperatives dictated by the global economy, thequality of human resources will be the most critical factor inachieving and maintaining a high level of competitiveness.Research evidence has indicated the crucial importance ofEarly Childhood Education and Development (ECED) to thesuccess of any initiative in human resource development. It isclear that the responsibility for ECED extends far beyond theboundaries of Ministries of Education. The current situation inthe region, however, is that this has been a neglected area,especially in terms of policy direction, administrativecoordination and concrete programmes which take intoaccount the importance of integrated provision of services forthe sector. Perusal of allocations by Governments and others inthis area indicates inequities of provisions within and acrosssectors which are not commensurate with their recognizedimportance and need.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified byall governments in the region and further commitment has beensignaled by the signing of the Belize Commitment. TheCaribbean Regional Policy, "The Future of Education in theCaribbean", endorsed by Ministers of Education in 1993, hasset out among its policy goals the improvement of the quality

39

of Early Childhood Education, and the CARICOM StandingCommittee of Ministers of Education in 1995 gave furtherpriority to this area of provision.

The emerging interest in ECED and the political will ofgovernments to address this sector in a coordinated manner, asindicated by the ratification and endorsement of relevantdocuments, was noted by the Second Caribbean Conference onEarly Childhood Education, Barbados, April, 1997, whichbrought together three hundred professionals in this area fromacross the region. As a result, one important outcome of theConference has been the delineation of an Action Plan toaddress the implementation of initiatives pertinent to issuesidentified and mandated by Governments in the region.


Legislative framework for coordinated provision ofservices and monitoring standards in this sector;

Integrated social planning and implementation ofinitiatives;

- Adequate financing;

Equitable access to quality provisions to minimizethe plight of the large percentage of children in highrisk situations;

- Education and training for all providers of ECED;

- Appropriate Curriculum Development and materialsdevelopment;

- Increased parent, community and media awarenessand involvement;

Coordinated action at both national and regionallevels; and

- Increased research to inform development of thesector, detailed as follows:

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men

cing

with

pri

oriti

esfo

r ch

ildre

n in

nee

d an

d th

epr

opos

ed"r

oute

"to

univ

ersa

lisat

ion

of E

CE

Dse

rvic

es (

Phas

e 2)

SYST

EM

AT

ISE

stat

utor

yre

view

mec

hani

sms

for

enfo

rcem

ent (

Phas

e 3)

PRO

MO

TE

regi

onal

coop

erat

ion

(Pha

se 3

) fo

r th

ede

velo

pmen

tan

dim

plem

enta

tion

of p

olic

ies

and

prog

ram

mes

in E

CE

D

Gov

ernm

ent,

with

tech

nica

l ass

ista

nce

as r

eque

sted

43

2.E

NT

ITL

E th

e ch

ild f

rom

bir

th to

sch

ool e

ntry

livi

ng in

at r

isk

situ

atio

ns to

targ

eted

res

ourc

es

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

P 1

a n

n i n

gca

paci

tyfo

rso

cial

and

hum

ande

velo

pmen

t in

supp

ort o

f th

ech

ild f

rom

bir

thto

sch

ool e

ntry

livin

g in

at r

isk

situ

atio

ns

C:

Chi

ldre

nan

d sy

stem

sar

edi

sadv

anta

ged

bydi

sson

ance

bet

wee

n E

CE

D s

ettin

gs a

nd f

orm

aliz

edac

adem

ic p

rim

ary

setti

ngs.

Fra

gmen

ted

and

over

lapp

ing

serv

ices

for

chi

ldre

n at

pre

-pri

mar

y le

vel,

resu

lting

indu

plic

atio

n of

eff

orts

and

inef

fici

enci

es.

CS:

con

ditio

ns o

f po

vert

y w

hich

ove

rwhe

lm b

oth

the

capa

citie

s of

soc

ial i

nstit

utio

ns a

nd th

ose

of in

divi

dual

sto

con

stru

ct r

oute

s ou

t, an

d fr

ustr

ate

atte

mpt

s to

fin

dsu

stai

nabl

e m

odel

s an

d so

lutio

ns f

or y

oung

chi

ldre

n

C:

exis

ting

plan

ning

capa

city

may

not

iden

tify

geog

raph

ical

map

s of

gre

ates

t nee

d (p

artic

ular

ly w

here

affe

cted

by

fear

of

viol

ence

) an

d w

ithin

are

as id

entif

ied,

(As

abov

e)

DR

AW

a c

ount

ry p

over

tym

ap to

incl

ude

data

and

indi

cato

rson

youn

gch

ildre

n

(As

abov

e)

IDE

NT

IFY

indi

cato

rs o

fim

pact

of

pove

rty

on c

hild

(Pha

se 1

); a

nd

CO

NST

RU

CT

with

ina

soci

al m

onito

ring

sys

tem

apr

oces

s of

dat

a as

sem

bly

from

pove

rty

indi

cato

rs

affe

ctin

gyo

ung

child

(Pha

se 1

)

CO

NT

INU

E p

lann

ing

insu

ppor

t of

youn

g ch

ild in

sele

cted

pri

ority

are

as(P

hase

1)

and

INIT

IAT

Epl

anni

ng f

or ta

rget

ed a

reas

on p

over

ty m

ap, g

ener

atin

gco

llabo

rativ

e al

lianc

es a

sne

eded

(Ph

ase

2)

(As

abov

e)

Gov

ernm

ent,

with

tech

nica

l ass

ista

nce

as n

eede

d

Gov

ernm

ent

with

tech

nica

l ass

ista

nce

as n

eede

d

Gov

ernm

ent

inco

llabo

ratio

nw

ithN

GO

s an

d C

BO

s,w

ith d

onor

, IFI

and

priv

ate

sect

orsu

ppor

t

spec

ific

ally

:

youn

g ch

ildre

n in

nee

d of

sup

port

pare

nts

of y

oung

chi

ldre

n in

nee

d of

indi

vidu

alan

dso

cial

supp

ort,

trai

ning

and

wor

kop

port

uniti

espo

tent

ial f

or s

ocia

l org

anis

atio

n to

con

stru

ctse

rvic

es a

nd s

uppo

rt f

or y

oung

chi

ldre

nex

istin

g so

cial

inst

itutio

ns b

est p

ositi

oned

tota

ke E

CE

D in

itiat

ives

for

war

d (C

BO

s, N

GO

s,ch

urch

es)

heal

th a

nd in

com

e in

dica

tors

Ca (J,

45

2.(c

ontin

ued)

EN

TIT

LE

the

child

fro

m b

irth

to s

choo

l ent

ry li

ving

in a

t ris

k si

tuat

ions

to ta

rget

ed r

esou

rces

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Inve

stm

ent

inc

o m

m u

n i

t yin

fras

truc

ture

insu

ppor

t of

the

child

from

bir

th to

sch

ool

entr

y liv

ing

in a

tri

sk c

ondi

tions

and

pove

rty

0: G

over

nmen

t pol

icie

s in

pov

erty

era

dica

tion,

and

goal

s of

UN

com

mitm

ents

(w

hich

con

verg

e in

rel

atio

nto

wom

en a

nd c

hild

ren

in p

over

ty)

crea

te a

clim

ate

for

inve

stm

ent b

y do

nor

agen

cies

and

IFI

s in

par

tner

ship

with

gov

ernm

ents

and

nat

iona

l pri

vate

sec

tor

inte

rest

s on

spec

ific

pro

gram

mes

for

chi

ldre

n fr

om b

irth

to s

choo

l

entr

y

CS:

acc

ess

to s

afe

wat

er a

nd th

e pr

ovis

ion

of s

afe

shel

ter

are

basi

c ne

cess

ities

for

new

born

bab

ies

and

very

you

ngch

ildre

n; a

lso

supp

ort f

or c

omm

unity

chi

ld c

are

solu

tions

to a

ssis

tE

CE

D a

re e

ssen

tial f

or y

oung

chi

ldre

n in

pre

-sch

ool

year

s. C

over

age

in p

oor

area

s is

pat

chy,

inse

cure

and

Ineq

uita

ble.

C/O

: as

abov

e

DE

VIS

E d

ata

syst

ems

tosu

ppor

t pla

nnin

g fo

r th

eyo

ung

child

in a

t ris

ksi

tuat

ions

with

in th

eov

eral

l pla

nnin

g fo

rso

cial

and

hum

an

deve

lopm

ent

DE

LIV

ER

saf

e w

ater

and

for

fam

ilies

with

very

you

ng c

hild

ren

inpo

or a

reas

IMPL

EM

EN

T d

ata

colle

ctio

n an

d an

alys

is o

nsy

stem

atic

bas

is o

n st

atus

of

youn

g ch

ild in

pov

erty

(Pha

se 2

) an

d M

AIN

TA

INsy

stem

on

ongo

ing

basi

s to

lead

pro

gram

me

plan

ning

(Pha

se 3

)

TA

RG

ET

pri

ority

are

as f

orin

terv

entio

n to

pro

vide

saf

ew

ater

and

she

lter

for

very

youn

g ch

ildre

n (P

hase

1)

and

EST

AB

LIS

Hpr

ogra

mm

e of

inte

rven

tion

with

com

mun

itypa

rtic

ipat

ion

in a

reas

iden

tifie

d on

pov

erty

map

(Pha

se 2

)

Gov

ernm

ent w

ithsu

ppor

t to

end

ofPh

ase

2 if

nee

ded

from

don

orso

urce

s

Gov

ernm

ent w

ithpr

ivat

e se

ctor

and

hous

ing

trus

ts in

prog

ram

me

ofco

oper

atio

n in

plan

ning

,co

nstr

uctio

n an

d

fost

erin

gco

mm

unity

part

icip

atio

n

47

2.(c

ontin

ued)

EN

TIT

LE

the

child

fro

m b

irth

to s

choo

l ent

ry li

ving

in a

t ris

k si

tuat

ions

to ta

rget

ed r

esou

rces

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)L

C)

(0)

(and

tim

ing

in p

hase

s)(N

at, R

eg, I

ntl.)

DE

VE

LO

P co

mm

unity

infr

astr

uctu

res

and

supp

ort

syst

ems

for

EC

ED

ser

vice

s

SUST

AIN

impr

ovem

ents

thro

ugh

mon

itori

ng,

repa

iran

d m

aint

enan

ce p

rogr

amm

e(P

hase

3)

GE

NE

RA

TE

inte

rest

and

dem

and

in a

few

pri

ority

are

asfo

rpi

lot

inte

rven

tions

inE

CE

D s

ervi

ces

(Pha

se 1

) an

dB

UIL

DO

Nex

istin

gco

mm

unity

infr

astr

uctu

res

whe

reth

eyex

ist

and/

orID

EN

TIF

Y L

EA

DE

RSH

IPpo

tent

ial

tocr

eate

infr

astr

uctu

res

need

edfo

rE

CE

D s

ervi

ce d

eliv

ery

(Pha

se 2

)

FOR

M c

omm

unity

net

wor

ksan

d or

gani

satio

ns to

sus

tain

com

mun

ity s

olut

ions

to c

hild

care

nee

ds a

nd I

MPL

EM

EN

T

prog

ram

me

of s

uppo

rtto

EC

ED

pro

gram

me

deliv

ery

(Pha

se 3

)

Gov

ernm

ent

Gov

ernm

ent

with

NG

Os

and

CB

Os,

and

seek

ing

priv

ate

sect

oror

soci

alin

vest

men

tpr

ogra

mm

e su

ppor

tto

fund

EC

ED

serv

ices

est

ablis

hed

Gov

ernm

ent

with

NG

Os

and

CB

Os

with

ongo

ing

inve

stm

ent s

uppo

rt

49

3. GR

OU

ND

pub

lic a

nd p

aren

ting

educ

atio

n an

d ch

ildre

n's

prog

ram

mes

, in

loca

l cul

ture

s

ISSU

E-B

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n. C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Sens

itisa

tion

ofpo

licy

mak

ers

and

publ

ic to

spe

cifi

cco

nditi

ons

in w

hich

child

ren

from

bir

thto

sch

ool a

ge a

rera

ised

CS:

inco

mpl

ete

pict

ures

/und

erst

andi

ngs

may

exi

stam

ongs

t pol

icy

mak

ers

and

publ

ic o

f co

nditi

ons

in w

hich

child

ren

are

born

and

rai

sed

incl

udin

g:

expl

anat

ions

for

ear

ly p

aren

thoo

d in

teen

age

year

sra

tiona

le f

or d

iffe

rent

ial r

aisi

ng o

f bo

ys a

nd g

irls

effe

cts

of c

hild

shi

ftin

g pa

ttern

sap

prec

iatio

n of

val

ue o

f ch

ild c

are

supp

orts

suc

h as

pare

nt s

uppo

rt g

roup

s an

d da

y ca

reun

ders

tand

ing

of b

enef

icia

l par

entin

g pr

actic

es,

part

icul

arly

thos

e w

hich

enc

oura

ge th

e ch

ild's

deve

lopm

ent,

self

exp

ress

ion

and

capa

citie

s fo

rco

nflic

t res

olut

ion

C: c

ontr

adic

tions

and

con

fusi

ons

are

shap

ing

child

ren'

sliv

es.

Edu

catio

n al

one

cann

ot b

ring

cha

nge

with

out

soci

al, h

uman

and

eco

nom

ic d

evel

opm

ent i

nter

vent

ions

in s

uppo

rt o

f lif

e al

tern

ativ

es.

Neg

ativ

e fo

rces

fro

mw

ider

eco

nom

ic a

nd s

ocia

l sph

eres

und

erm

ine

pare

ntal

auth

ority

and

chi

ldre

n's

self

-con

cept

thus

ero

ding

the

basi

s fo

r be

nefi

cial

chi

ld r

eari

ng

0: r

egio

nal a

nd n

atio

nal r

esea

rch

find

ings

, gro

wth

of

loca

l med

ia b

road

cast

ing,

long

est

ablis

hed

trad

ition

of

radi

o lis

teni

ng, a

vaila

bilit

y of

reg

iona

l pra

ctic

e ex

ampl

esan

d pa

rtic

ipat

ory

plan

ning

exp

ertis

e ca

n al

l ass

ist c

ount

ryba

sed

inno

vatio

ns

DE

SIG

NA

TE

lead

age

ncy

for

taki

ngfo

rwar

dse

nsiti

satio

n ro

leID

EN

TIF

Ypo

tent

ial

ingo

vern

men

tal a

nd/o

r N

GO

sect

or f

or le

adin

g th

e E

CE

Dse

nsiti

satio

n pr

oces

s(P

hase

1)

CR

EA

TE

adv

ocac

y to

ols

with

ratio

nale

for

EC

ED

em

bedd

edin

loca

lco

nditi

ons,

with

prac

tice

exam

ples

(Ph

ase

1)

IMPL

EM

EN

T p

rogr

amm

e of

sens

itisa

tion

of p

olic

y m

aker

san

d pu

blic

acr

oss

all s

ecto

rs(P

hase

2)

EST

AB

LIS

H s

truc

ture

for

ongo

ing

advi

ce a

nd a

dvoc

acy

togo

vern

men

t for

EC

ED

polic

yan

dpr

ogra

mm

ede

velo

pmen

t (Ph

ase

3)

Gov

ernm

ent

Gov

ernm

ent a

nd/

or d

eleg

ated

NG

O

Lea

d ag

ency

with

othe

rs in

a "

Tas

kFo

rce"

fra

mew

ork

Lea

dag

ency

toen

sure

part

icip

atio

nof

priv

ate

sect

or, o

ther

soci

alpa

rtne

rsgo

vern

men

tal,

dono

r an

d N

GO

polic

y m

aker

s an

dre

sear

ch a

ssis

tanc

e

I

(con

tinue

d)

GR

OU

ND

pub

lic a

nd p

aren

ting

educ

atio

n an

d ch

ildre

n's

prog

ram

mes

, in

loca

l cul

ture

s

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n. C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)10

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Iden

tific

atio

nof

key

area

sfo

rpu

blic

and

par

ent

educ

atio

n

CS,

C a

nd 0

(as

abo

ve)

CR

EA

TE

an

info

rmed

publ

ic th

roug

h a

conc

erte

dca

mpa

ign

stra

tegy

at a

llle

vels

for

EC

ED

prog

ram

mes

EST

AB

LIS

H h

igh

prof

ile a

ndin

flue

ntia

l lea

ders

hip

for

publ

iced

ucat

ion

in E

CE

D(P

hase

1)

AR

TIC

UL

AT

E v

alue

of

EC

ED

prog

ram

mes

in lo

cal c

onte

xts

to m

otiv

ate

dem

and

(Pha

se 2

)

TA

RG

ET

prov

isio

nof

pare

ntin

gsu

ppor

tm

ater

ials

and

initi

atio

n of

sup

port

gro

ups

for

fam

ilies

, and

PR

OM

OT

Epo

sitiv

e an

d at

trac

tive

activ

ities

and

alte

rnat

ive

role

mod

els

for

youn

g m

ales

in s

uppo

rt o

fE

CE

D (

Phas

e 2)

EV

AL

UA

TE

str

ateg

ies

and

char

t fut

ure

activ

ities

bas

ed o

nou

tcom

es a

nd le

sson

s le

arne

d(P

hase

3)

Gov

ernm

ent

Gov

ernm

ent

orde

lega

ted

to N

GO

orsp

ecia

list

stat

utor

y ag

ency

Lea

d ag

ency

Gov

ernm

ent w

ithle

ad a

genc

y

53

O 3.G

RO

UN

D p

ublic

and

par

entin

g ed

ucat

ion

and

child

ren'

s pr

ogra

mm

es, i

n lo

cal c

ultu

res

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Dev

elop

men

t of

are

spon

sive

and

resp

onsi

ble

med

iase

nsiti

sed

to th

ego

als

for

youn

gch

ildre

n

r1 1

CS,

C a

nd 0

(as

abo

ve)

OPE

N d

ialo

gue

with

the

med

ia o

n th

eir

role

inna

tion

build

ing

star

ting

with

chi

ldre

n fr

om b

irth

to s

choo

l ent

ry

DE

VE

LO

P st

anda

rds

in p

rint

and

broa

dcas

ting

med

ia w

hich

refl

ect E

CE

D p

olic

yan

dle

gisl

atio

n (P

hase

2)

PRO

MO

TE

the

righ

ts a

ndin

tere

sts

of y

oung

chi

ldre

n in

dedi

cate

d pr

ogra

mm

e co

nten

t(P

hase

2)

PRO

VID

E c

lear

gui

danc

e to

pare

nts

on a

ntic

ipat

ed im

pact

of a

dult

cont

ent,

and

othe

rin

appr

opri

ate

cont

ent,

part

icul

arly

vio

lenc

e, o

n yo

ung

child

ren

(Pha

se 2

)

Prom

ote

airi

ngan

dde

velo

pmen

t of

cultu

rally

appr

opri

ate

and

sust

aina

ble

Car

ibbe

anpr

oduc

edpr

ogra

mm

es. (

Phas

e 2)

Gov

ernm

ent

and

med

ia w

ith E

CE

Dgr

oups

Med

iaw

ithU

NIC

EF

and

EC

ED

gro

ups

Gov

ernm

ent

med

ia a

nd E

CE

Dgr

oups

with

rese

arch

ass

ista

nce

55

4.E

DU

CA

TE

for

par

enth

ood

befo

re a

dulth

ood

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)co

(0)

(and

tim

ing

in p

hase

s)(N

at, R

eg, I

ntl.)

Coo

rdin

atio

nof

supp

ort t

o ag

enci

espr

ovid

ing

pare

ntin

ged

ucat

ion

and

educ

atio

n in

ear

lych

ild d

evel

opm

ent

CS:

pare

ntin

ged

ucat

ion

and

lear

ning

abou

tch

ildde

velo

pmen

t are

oft

en n

ot a

cces

sibl

e at

a y

oung

eno

ugh

age

to a

ffec

t beh

avio

ur.

C: d

efic

ienc

y of

app

roac

hes

in s

econ

dary

sch

ool a

ndre

luct

ance

at t

he p

rim

ary

leve

lto

del

iver

par

entin

ged

ucat

ion

desp

ite w

ides

prea

d co

ncer

n w

ith im

mat

urity

of

and

lack

of

supp

ort f

or y

oung

ado

lesc

ent p

aren

ts

0: E

xist

ence

of

the

HFL

E (

CA

RIC

OM

fUN

age

ncie

s)C

arib

bean

Str

ateg

y in

itiat

ed in

pri

mar

y an

d se

cond

ary

scho

ols

in th

e re

gion

.E

xper

ienc

e of

"ch

ild to

chi

ld"

lear

ning

tech

niqu

es s

erve

s as

a p

oten

tial m

odel

for

enco

urag

ing

sibl

ing

resp

onsi

bilit

y an

d ea

rly

lear

ning

abo

utch

ild d

evel

opm

ent

DIS

SEM

INA

TE

criti

cal

pare

ntin

gan

dE

CE

Dkn

owle

dge

to im

pact

on

beha

viou

r of

you

ng p

erso

ns

IDE

NT

IFY

pop

ular

edu

catio

nm

etho

dolo

gies

for

use

with

scho

ol a

ge a

nd o

ut o

f sc

hool

child

ren

info

rmal

and

info

rmal

setti

ngs

with

acco

mpa

nyin

gtr

aini

ngpr

ogra

mm

es.

(Pha

se 1

)

DE

VIS

E p

ersu

asiv

e an

d co

stef

fect

ive

prog

ram

mes

to b

epi

lote

d in

a r

ange

of

scho

ols

and

yout

h se

tting

s (P

hase

2)

EV

AL

UA

TE

eff

ectiv

enes

s of

stra

tegy

and

IN

CO

RPO

RA

TE

lear

ning

met

hodo

logi

es in

tosc

hool

dev

elop

men

t pla

nnin

gan

d co

mm

unity

dev

elop

men

tpr

ogra

mm

es (

Phas

e 3)

Gov

ernm

ent,

Min

istr

y of

Hea

lth/

Edu

catio

n,So

cial

Aff

airs

or

Wel

fare

and/

or to

NG

O o

rsp

ecia

list

lead

agen

cy

Com

mun

ity g

roup

s

5657

5.SU

PPO

RT

the

pare

nt a

nd th

e ch

ild in

the

year

aft

er a

chi

ld's

bir

th

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Prov

isio

nof

suff

icie

nt ti

me

for

brea

st-f

eedi

ng a

ndpa

rent

al b

ondi

ng

53

CS:

Bab

ies

are

not o

btai

ning

the

full

valu

e of

Enc

oura

ge g

over

nmen

ts to

crea

tepr

ovis

ion

for

the

exte

nsio

nof

the

time

avai

labl

e fo

r br

east

-fee

ding

and

pare

ntal

bon

ding

.

PRO

MO

TE

aw

aren

ess

ofva

lue

of b

reas

t-fe

edin

g fo

rch

ildan

dm

othe

rch

ild

rela

tions

hip

CA

MPA

IGN

con

sist

ently

ove

ra

long

per

iod

of ti

me

on th

eva

lue

of b

reas

t-fe

edin

g an

dbo

ndin

g.in

g.(P

hase

1)

DE

VE

LO

P m

odel

s of

fle

xibl

ew

orki

ng/le

ave/

hom

e ta

sks

and

wor

kpla

cech

ildca

rew

ithse

lect

ed e

mpl

oyer

s to

test

cos

tbe

nefi

t to

all p

artie

s(P

hase

2)

CO

NST

RU

CT

join

tsu

ppor

tar

rang

emen

tsfo

r le

ave

and

flex

ible

wor

king

toen

able

oppo

rtun

ity to

bre

ast-

feed

and

bond

and

AR

RA

NG

E f

lexi

ble

wor

k pa

ttern

s an

d pa

rtne

r le

ave

polic

ies

duri

ng th

e ch

ild's

fir

st

year

(Pha

se 3

)

Gov

ernm

ent

orde

lega

ted

tole

ad

agen

cy

Lea

d ag

ency

Gov

ernm

ent,

with

priv

ate

and

publ

icse

ctor

s

Gov

ernm

ent,

with

priv

ate

and

publ

icse

ctor

s,in

clud

ing

labo

ur o

rgan

izat

ions

59

mic

ronu

trie

nts

in b

reas

tmilk

ove

r th

e pe

riod

in w

hich

they

wou

ld d

eriv

e m

axim

um b

enef

it. N

eith

er m

othe

r no

r ba

by

is b

eing

sup

port

ed in

pro

cess

to d

evel

op in

tera

ctio

n w

hich

stim

ulat

esbr

ain,

lang

uage

,so

cial

and

emot

iona

lde

velo

pmen

t in

the

child

C: n

egat

ive

clim

ate

beca

use

of s

ocia

l and

eco

nom

icpr

essu

re o

n m

othe

r w

eake

ns p

ublic

educ

atio

n st

rate

gies

on th

e va

lue

of b

reas

t-fe

edin

g. M

othe

rs c

anno

t aff

ord

tolis

ten.

Infl

exib

le w

orki

ng a

nd le

ave

arra

ngem

ents

proh

ibit

chan

ge.

Acc

ess

to E

CE

D in

form

atio

n an

dse

rvic

es is

pat

chy

com

pare

d to

acc

ess

to c

hild

hea

lth

0: a

cces

s by

pol

icy-

mak

ers

to th

e in

form

atio

n an

dre

sear

ch o

ncr

itica

lne

edfo

rea

rly

inte

rven

tions

,pa

rtic

ular

ly to

sup

port

chi

ldre

n bo

rn in

pov

erty

, whi

chde

mon

stra

teun

equi

voca

llyth

epo

sitiv

eef

fect

ofin

terv

entio

ns in

the

firs

t yea

r of

life

.C

ost e

ffec

tive

mod

els

of h

ome

visi

ting

whe

n co

mbi

ned

with

hig

h qu

ality

child

car

e su

ppor

t hav

e pr

oved

to b

e ef

fect

ive

in p

aren

ted

ucat

ion

prog

ram

mes

a

5.(c

ontin

ued)

SUPP

OR

T th

e pa

rent

and

the

child

in th

e ye

ar a

fter

a c

hild

's b

irth

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n. C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Acc

essi

bilit

yof

EC

ED

kno

wle

dge

to p

aren

ts

CS,

C a

nd 0

(as

abo

ve)

BU

ILD

on

exis

ting

deliv

ery

of c

hild

hea

lth s

ervi

ces

tofa

mili

esto

inco

rpor

ate

EC

ED

RE

FOC

US

exis

ting

child

hea

lthse

rvic

esto

prov

ide

EC

ED

advi

ce a

nd p

ract

ical

par

entin

ged

ucat

ion

(Pha

se 1

)

IDE

NT

IFY

par

ents

of

new

born

s in

pov

erty

or

at r

isk

child

ren,

in n

eed

of h

ealth

and

EC

ED

sup

port

and

kno

wle

dge

(Pha

se 2

)

TR

AIN

hom

e vi

sitin

g te

ams

(Pha

se 2

) to

pilo

t an

inte

grat

edch

ildde

velo

pmen

tan

dpa

rent

ing

educ

atio

n ap

proa

chin

a f

ew p

rior

ity c

omm

uniti

es

EV

AL

UA

TE

impa

ct o

n ch

ildde

velo

pmen

t in

area

s se

lect

edan

dPH

ASE

-IN

wid

erpr

ogra

mm

e w

ith a

dmin

istr

ativ

e

capa

city

in p

lace

(Pha

se 3

)

Rel

evan

t Min

istr

ies

Rel

evan

t Min

istr

ies

with

sup

port

fro

mE

CE

D p

ract

ition

ers

Rel

evan

t Min

istr

ies

Rel

evan

t Min

istr

ies

with

NG

Os

and

CB

Os

inar

eas

sele

cted

Rel

evan

t Min

istr

ies

with

age

ncie

s an

dE

CE

D p

ract

ition

ers

invo

lved

6061

6.D

EV

EL

OP

the

child

with

in th

e fa

mily

in th

e ye

ars

befo

re p

resc

hool

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n. C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

(CS)

(C)

(0)

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

(and

tim

ing

in p

hase

s)R

espo

nsib

ility

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Eff

ectiv

enes

sof

outr

each

and

sco

peof

chi

ld h

ealth

and

deve

lopm

ent

prog

ram

mes

with

pare

nt e

duca

tion

G

CS:

dif

ficu

lty in

sus

tain

ing

cove

rage

of

child

hea

lthse

rvic

es a

fter

fir

st y

ear

of c

hild

's li

fe a

nd b

efor

e ch

ild`r

e-em

erge

s' in

pre

or

prim

ary

scho

ol. C

hild

ren

who

are

in d

ay c

are

of v

aria

ble

qual

ity, a

nd th

ose

at h

ome

in p

oor

soci

oec

onom

icco

nditi

ons

may

be

atri

skof

deve

lopm

enta

l del

ay.

C: d

evel

opm

ent o

f fo

rmal

pro

gram

mes

in c

hild

car

ece

ntre

s an

d pr

ofes

sion

al in

terv

entio

ns a

re e

xpen

sive

, not

alw

ays

effe

ctiv

e, c

ultu

rally

rel

evan

t or

sens

itive

tofa

mily

nee

ds. P

aren

ts a

re u

naw

are

or la

ck c

onfi

denc

e in

thei

r ro

le a

s ed

ucat

ors.

0: d

evel

opm

ent o

f in

form

al m

odel

s of

par

ent e

duca

tion

com

bine

d w

ith c

omm

unity

ear

ly c

hild

hood

cen

tres

,fl

exib

leac

cess

arra

ngem

ents

and

activ

epa

rent

part

icip

atio

n ca

n be

mor

e ef

fect

ive

than

for

mal

ser

vice

deliv

ery.

Pro

gram

mes

whi

ch c

ombi

ne e

duca

tion

and

care

ser

vice

s as

a m

inim

um r

equi

rem

ent h

ave

a gr

eate

rch

ance

of

achi

evin

g qu

ality

and

eff

ectiv

enes

s fo

rde

velo

pmen

t of

poor

est a

nd a

t ris

k ch

ildre

n

IMPR

OV

Eac

cess

to a

ndin

crea

seco

vera

geof

EC

ED

serv

ices

.

DE

VE

LO

Pne

twor

ksof

supp

ort

amon

gst

pare

nts

inne

ed.

GE

NE

RA

TE

link

s be

twee

npa

rent

s an

d ex

istin

g E

CE

Dse

rvic

es (

Phas

e 1)

SUPP

OR

Tqu

ality

impr

ovem

ent a

ctiv

ities

by

mon

itori

ng a

nd a

dvis

ing

onse

rvic

e de

liver

y (P

hase

2)

EQ

UIP

pare

nts

with

com

plem

enta

ry m

ater

ials

for

hom

e ba

sed

supp

ort o

f ch

ildde

velo

pmen

t (Ph

ase

2)

TA

RG

ET

par

ents

in n

eed

and

ASS

IST

dev

elop

men

t of

supp

ort

grou

psto

shar

eex

peri

ence

s, g

ener

ate

idea

san

d ac

tiviti

es,

build

self

-es

teem

and

sup

port

chi

ldre

n's

earl

y le

arni

ng. (

Phas

e 1)

DE

VE

LO

P un

ders

tand

ing

amon

gst

pare

nts

asfi

rst

educ

ator

s. (

Phas

e 2)

Com

mun

ity b

ased

EC

ED

ser

vice

s in

NG

Os,

and

CB

Os

with

sup

port

fro

mde

sign

ated

gove

rnm

ent

depa

rtm

ents

(s)

NG

Os,

CB

Os,

relig

ious

orga

niza

tions

,co

mm

unity

agen

cies

r3

6.(c

ontin

ued)

DE

VE

LO

P th

e ch

ild w

ithin

the

fam

ily in

the

year

s be

fore

pre

-sch

ool

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Ava

ilabi

lity

ofea

rly

child

hood

cent

res

CS,

c a

nd 0

(as

abo

ve)

INIT

IAT

EA

ND

EN

HA

NC

Eth

ede

velo

pmen

tof

earl

ych

ildho

od c

entr

es

AD

DR

ESS

the

proc

esse

s(P

hase

2)of

gend

erso

cial

isat

ion

in th

e fa

mily

and

com

mun

ity, a

nd d

evis

eap

prop

riat

em

ater

ials

and

inte

rven

tions

to a

ssis

t par

ents

to m

ake

prog

ress

tow

ards

equi

ty

EST

AB

LIS

H n

etw

ork

ofpa

rent

vol

unte

ers

for

trai

ning

inke

yar

eas

ofch

ild

deve

lopm

ent a

nd p

aren

ting

educ

atio

n(b

enef

icia

lnu

triti

on'm

enus

',ps

ycho

soci

al d

evel

opm

ent,

lang

uage

and

stim

ulat

ion)

toSU

STA

INth

esu

ppor

tne

twor

ks (

Phas

e 3)

IDE

NT

IFY

hig

h qu

ality

chi

ldca

re c

entr

es in

ope

ratio

n (i

nda

y ca

re o

r al

tern

ativ

es)

and

dete

rmin

elo

cal

elem

ents

whi

chpr

oduc

eth

ehi

ghqu

ality

(Ph

ase

1)

NG

Os

and

CB

Os

with

EC

ED

res

earc

has

sist

ance

Rel

evan

t Min

istr

ies,

in s

uppo

rt o

f N

GO

san

d C

BO

s an

d ot

her

com

mun

ityag

enci

es

Gov

ernm

ent

Del

egat

e to

NG

O o

r

spec

ialis

tle

adag

ency

6465

6.(c

ontin

ued)

DE

VE

LO

P th

e ch

ild w

ithin

the

fam

ily in

the

year

s be

fore

pre

-sch

ool

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

DE

VE

LO

P co

st e

ffec

tive

earl

ych

ildho

od c

entr

e m

odel

s to

sust

ain

high

qua

lity,

ada

pted

toth

e ne

eds

of a

few

poo

rest

com

mun

ities

(Ph

ase

2)

EV

AL

UA

TE

eff

ectiv

enes

s an

dsu

stai

nabi

lity

of m

odel

s, a

ndth

eir

flex

ibili

tyto

loca

lco

nditi

ons

(Pha

se 2

)

TA

KE

INC

RE

ME

NT

AL

appr

oach

toph

asin

g-in

impr

ovem

ents

or

new

cen

tres

,st

artin

g w

ith p

oor

area

s, a

nden

suri

ngad

min

istr

ativ

eca

paci

ty is

in p

lace

for

pro

cess

of li

cens

ing

and

regi

stra

tion

(Pha

se 2

)

PLA

N d

evel

opm

ent o

f ce

ntre

son

a u

nive

rsal

bas

is f

or th

ose

inne

ed (

prio

ritis

ing

child

ren

with

disa

bilit

ies

and

child

ren

ofw

orki

ngpa

rent

(s)

onlo

win

com

es)

(Pha

se 3

)

As

dele

gate

d

Gov

ernm

ent a

ndle

adag

ency

asde

lega

ted.

Gov

ernm

ent,

lead

Min

istr

ies

with

dono

r an

d pr

ivat

ese

ctor

ass

ista

nce

Gov

ernm

ent,

lead

Min

istr

ies

with

dono

r an

d pr

ivat

ese

ctor

ass

ista

nce

fi O

7.PR

OM

OT

E th

e ch

ild's

lear

ning

and

dev

elop

men

t in

all p

re-s

choo

l set

tings

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Und

erst

andi

ng o

fse

rvic

e pr

ovid

ers

onho

wyo

ung

child

ren

lear

n

CS:

effe

ctiv

enes

sof

prov

isio

nas

mea

sure

dby

deve

lopm

enta

l out

com

es f

or in

divi

dual

chi

ldre

n on

sch

ool

entr

y is

a m

ajor

con

cern

acr

oss

the

regi

on. C

once

rn w

ithth

e qu

ality

of

wha

t is

prov

ided

indi

cate

sva

riab

leun

ders

tand

ings

of

how

chi

ldre

n le

arn

best

and

how

ser

vice

prov

ider

sca

ncr

eate

the

nece

ssar

yco

nditi

ons

for

achi

evem

ent a

nd s

ocia

lizat

ion.

C: e

xist

ing

prog

ram

mes

hav

e re

spon

ded

to th

e ne

ed f

orhi

gh c

over

age

at th

e ex

pens

e of

qua

lity,

res

pond

ing

toso

cio

econ

omic

pre

ssur

es o

n fa

mili

es w

ith y

oung

chi

ldre

n.L

ack

of m

ater

ial r

esou

rces

, con

sist

ent o

ngoi

ng h

uman

reso

urce

deve

lopm

ent a

ndco

here

nt E

CE

D p

olic

yfr

amew

orks

hav

e no

t ass

iste

d in

nova

tion

or q

ualit

y.

0: r

egio

nal p

ictu

re r

efle

cts

the

wor

ldw

ide

one.

Res

earc

han

d pr

actic

e ex

ampl

es p

rovi

de c

lari

ty o

n th

e w

ay f

orw

ard:

EC

ED

pro

gram

mes

nee

d to

sta

rt w

here

the

child

is (

cultu

re

and

cont

ext)

, pro

mot

e co

ntin

uity

with

pri

or le

arni

ng,

ensu

re a

ctiv

e pa

rtic

ipat

ion

of p

aren

t(s)

as

prim

ary

educ

ator

(s),

pri

oriti

se la

ngua

ge, t

houg

ht a

nd p

sych

osoc

ial

deve

lopm

ent,

and

assi

st th

e ch

ild's

lear

ning

con

tinuu

min

to f

orm

al s

choo

ling.

PRO

VID

E c

lear

ped

agog

ical

guid

ance

for

qua

lity

in p

re-

IDE

NT

IFY

pra

ctiti

oner

sin

EC

ED

and

pro

vide

them

with

tech

nica

l ass

ista

nce

to p

rodu

ce

coun

try

base

dpe

dago

gica

lgu

idel

ines

(Pha

se 1

)

ASS

IST

ser

vice

pro

vide

rs to

hold

Qua

lity

Wor

ksho

ps w

ithpa

rent

s to

pro

duce

Qua

lity

indi

cato

rs f

or E

CE

D s

ervi

ces

(Pha

se 2

)

EST

AB

LIS

H h

igh

qual

ity in

-se

rvic

e tr

aini

ng in

clud

ing

on-

site

trai

ning

for

com

pete

ncie

san

d ac

cred

itatio

n fo

r E

CE

Dse

rvic

e pr

ovid

ers

(Pha

se 2

)

INST

ITU

TE

lay

insp

ectio

nan

d ad

viso

ry s

uppo

rt te

ams

topr

ovid

e fe

edba

ck to

ser

vice

prov

ider

s an

d go

vern

men

t on

all

aspe

cts

of d

evel

opm

ent

tow

ards

qua

lity

(Pha

se 3

)

Gov

ernm

ent,

(lea

dM

inis

try)

with

Uni

vers

ityan

dte

ache

rco

llege

invo

lvem

ent,

NG

Os

and

rele

vant

min

istr

ies.

Reg

iona

lbo

dies

in c

orpo

rate

effo

rts

to d

evel

opE

CE

D p

rogr

amm

es.

scho

ol s

ettin

gs

6869

.A 00 7.(c

ontin

ued)

PRO

MO

TE

the

child

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arni

ng a

nd d

evel

opm

ent i

n co

mm

unity

pre

-sch

ool s

ettin

gs

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

(Ccu

srr)

ent

situ

atio

n,C

onst

rain

ts /O

ppor

tuni

ties

(0)

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

(and

tim

ing

in p

hase

s)R

espo

nsib

ility

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Sust

aini

ngan

dex

tend

ing

curr

icul

are

form

to e

mbr

ace

child

focu

sed

met

hodo

logi

espr

actic

e

Org

anis

atio

n,st

ruct

ures

and

lear

ning

mat

eria

lsin

pre-

scho

olse

tting

s

CS,

C a

nd 0

(as

abo

ve)

CS:

pre

-pri

mar

y se

tting

s ac

ross

the

regi

on h

ave

limite

dsu

pply

of

play

/lear

ning

mat

eria

ls.

C: W

ithou

t ade

quat

e an

d ap

prop

riat

e m

ater

ials

EC

ED

pers

onne

l eve

n if

ade

quat

ely

trai

ned

are

unab

le to

faci

litat

e su

stai

nabl

e ch

ild c

ente

red

and

cultu

rally

rel

evan

t

lear

ning

exp

erie

nces

for

chi

ldre

n.

0: A

vaila

bilit

y of

cre

atin

g cu

ltura

lly a

ppro

pria

te r

elev

ant

reso

urce

s. a

vaila

bilit

y of

cre

ativ

e an

d te

chni

cal e

xper

tise

in th

e re

gion

SUPP

OR

T p

roce

ssof

deve

lopi

ng c

hild

cen

tere

dcu

rric

ula

with

prac

tical

supp

ort t

ools

and

mat

eria

ls.

DE

VIS

Em

odel

for

sust

aina

ble

prod

uctio

n of

cultu

rally

adeq

uate

and

appr

opri

ate

lear

ning

mat

eria

ls.

CO

NSU

LT

with

pra

ctiti

oner

sas

to th

e ob

stac

les

in p

hysi

cal

stru

ctur

es, t

rain

ing,

sup

port

,or

mat

eria

l res

ourc

es to

the

impl

emen

ting

ofch

ildce

nter

ed m

etho

dolo

gies

(Pha

se 1

)

DE

FIN

E p

rinc

iple

s of

chi

ldin

itiat

ed le

arni

ng in

term

s of

child

to c

hild

and

chi

ld to

adul

tin

tera

ctio

n,an

d th

epr

ogra

mm

e im

plic

atio

ns o

fim

plem

enta

tion

(Pha

se 1

)

DE

VIS

Est

rate

gyfo

ra)

curr

icul

um d

evel

opm

ent;

b)m

ater

ials

dev

elop

men

t and

prod

uctio

n, b

ased

on

outc

ome

of c

onsu

ltatio

n, a

nd e

arly

lear

ning

pri

ncip

les

(Pha

se 1

)

INT

EG

RA

TE

psy

chos

ocia

las

pect

s in

the

deve

lopm

ent o

fin

stru

ctio

nal m

ater

ials

and

reso

urce

s (P

hase

2)

Gov

ernm

ent,

Min

istr

yof

Edu

catio

nan

dE

CE

D s

peci

alis

tsu

ppor

t.N

GO

s

mic

ro-e

nter

pris

es,

IFI'

s, C

AR

ICO

M.

7.(c

ontin

ued)

PRO

MO

TE

the

child

's le

arni

ng a

nd d

evel

opm

ent i

n co

mm

unity

pre

-sch

ool s

ettin

gs

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n. C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Org

anis

atio

n,st

ruct

ures

and

lear

ning

mat

eria

lsin

pre-

scho

olse

tting

s (c

ont.)

CS,

C a

nd 0

: (as

abo

ve)

pre-

scho

olse

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sto

be and

appr

opri

ate

AU

DIT

nee

ds o

f pr

e-sc

hool

setti

ngs

for

phys

ical

cha

nges

topr

ovid

e fl

exib

le 's

pace

s' f

orch

ild c

ente

red

lear

ning

(Pha

se 1

)

INIT

IAT

Ein

form

edpr

ogra

mm

eof

equi

pmen

tco

nstr

uctio

n, in

clud

e ou

tdoo

ran

d in

door

equ

ipm

ent

(Pha

se 1

)

PRO

MO

TE

lear

ning

atm

osph

eres

allo

win

g ch

ildre

nfl

exib

le a

nd v

arie

d us

e of

activ

ities

, to

lear

n at

thei

r ow

npa

ce a

nd m

ake

thei

r ow

nch

oice

s (P

hase

2)

PRO

VID

E o

ppor

tuni

ties

for

child

ren

tole

arn

soci

alre

spon

sibi

lity

thro

ugh

prob

lem

solv

ing

and

nego

tiate

d ru

les

(Pha

se 2

)

EN

SUR

E a

dult-

child

rat

ios

to

supp

ort c

hild

dev

elop

men

t(P

hase

2)

Gov

ernm

ent,

Min

istr

yof

Edu

catio

nan

dE

CE

Dsp

ecia

list

supp

ort

Invo

lve

NG

Os

and

CB

Os

and

prov

ider

s

cU

7273

q.

a.

(),

O 7.(c

ontin

ued)

PRO

MO

TE

the

child

's le

arni

ng a

nd d

evel

opm

ent i

n co

mm

unity

pre

-sch

ool s

ettin

gs

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

Cur

rent

situ

atio

n, C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

tuni

ties

Goa

ls/ta

rget

sSt

rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Forg

ing

part

ners

hips

with

pare

nts

pre-

scho

olan

dw

ider

com

mun

ity

CS,

C a

nd 0

(as

abo

ve)

EST

AB

LIS

H p

rinc

iple

of

part

ners

hip

amon

g E

CE

Dpr

ovid

erpa

rent

and

com

mun

ity

CO

NST

RU

CT

effe

ctiv

eco

mm

unic

atio

n pr

oces

ses

inco

nsul

tatio

nw

ithpa

rent

sin

divi

dual

ly a

nd c

olle

ctiv

ely,

taki

ng in

to a

ccou

nt e

cono

mic

and

times

cons

trai

nts,

prov

ider

s,pa

rent

san

dco

mm

uniti

es. (

Phas

e 1)

DE

VE

LO

P pr

ogra

mm

es to

supp

ort h

ome

base

d le

arni

ngac

tiviti

es. (

Phas

e 2)

RE

VIE

W d

evel

opm

ent o

fea

ch c

hild

with

the

pare

nt(s

)an

d de

vise

join

t pla

ns f

orin

terv

entio

nsfo

r th

e ch

ildw

hich

ref

lect

fam

ily n

eeds

and

expe

ctat

ions

(Pha

se 2

)

Gov

ernm

ent,

Min

istr

yof

Edu

catio

nan

dE

CE

D p

rovi

ders

and

rele

vant

CB

Os

7

8.IM

PLE

ME

NT

inte

grat

ed a

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ache

s fo

r E

CE

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or c

hild

ren

from

bir

th to

sch

ool e

ntry

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

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RE

CO

MM

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DE

D A

CT

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Cur

rent

situ

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onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

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Goa

ls/ta

rget

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rate

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/Act

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Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

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nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Nee

d fo

r in

crea

sed

acce

ss to

inte

grat

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rvic

esan

dsu

ppor

tfo

r th

ebe

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tof

the

youn

g ch

ild

Nee

d to

inte

grat

eap

proa

ches

at l

ocal

and

natio

nal l

evel

s

CS:

par

ent a

cces

s to

ser

vice

s, in

form

atio

n an

d ad

vice

islim

ited

and

vari

able

.

C: L

ack

of e

quity

in r

esou

rce

dist

ribu

tion,

and

insu

ffic

ient

atte

ntio

n fo

r ta

rget

ting

the

poor

est a

nd c

hild

ren

at r

isk

.

Frag

men

tatio

n an

d du

plic

atio

n of

ser

vice

del

iver

y sy

stem

s.L

ack

of c

oope

ratio

n,co

ordi

natio

n an

d co

nver

genc

ebe

twee

n go

vern

men

t pro

gram

mes

. Lac

k of

inte

giat

edap

proa

ches

at m

anag

emen

t lev

el.

0: P

ract

ical

exp

erie

nce

has

dem

onst

rate

d th

e po

wer

and

effe

ctiv

enes

s of

inte

grat

ion

with

in a

sin

gle

min

istr

y w

here

ther

e is

des

igna

ted

(add

ition

al)

capa

city

and

str

ong

polit

ical

supp

ort.

Dif

fere

nt a

ppro

ache

s in

clud

e co

oper

atio

n be

twee

n

CO

OR

DIN

AT

E p

rovi

sion

of s

uppo

rts

and

serv

ices

at

the

leve

l of

the

fam

ily o

f th

eyo

ung

child

DE

SIG

N a

ppro

ache

sto

inte

grat

ion

of E

CE

Dse

rvic

es a

ppro

pria

te to

loca

lco

nditi

ons

CO

MPI

LE

info

rmat

ion,

incl

udin

g kn

owle

dge

and

acce

ssto

inte

grat

ed s

ervi

ces,

on

a lo

cal

com

mun

ity b

asis

in p

rint

and

elec

tron

ic m

edia

. (Ph

ase

1)

DE

VE

LO

P sy

stem

s fo

r pr

iori

tyal

loca

tions

and

sub

sidi

es f

orth

ose

at g

reat

est r

isk

(Pha

se 2

)

CO

NSU

LT

with

all

sect

ors

(pri

vate

, gov

ernm

enta

l, N

GO

)on

dra

ft o

ptio

ns f

or in

tegr

ated

appr

oach

es,

incl

udin

gim

plem

enta

tion

impl

icat

ions

(Pha

se 1

)

DE

CID

Eon

inte

grat

ion

appr

oach

esan

des

tabl

ish

prog

ram

mes

for

phas

edim

plem

enta

tion

(Pha

se 2

)

Gov

ernm

ent,

asde

lega

ted

to lo

cal

agen

cies

with

EC

ED

prac

titio

ner

inpu

t

Gov

ernm

ent,

dele

gate

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loca

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with

tech

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as n

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and

conv

erge

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of r

espo

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sun

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le m

anag

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t.. I

mpo

rtan

t for

inte

grat

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atco

mm

unity

leve

l to

com

bine

the

coor

dina

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stra

tegy

with

devo

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-mak

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pow

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gene

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com

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artic

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7677

(J1 8.

(con

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rate

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Res

pons

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)(0

)(a

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min

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pha

ses)

(Nat

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l.)

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CO

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AG

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ede

velo

pmen

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agem

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trat

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at w

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acili

tate

gove

rnm

ent f

unct

ions

insu

ppor

t of

EC

ED

(Ph

ase

1) IDE

NT

IFY

all

the

elem

ents

of

an in

tegr

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appr

oach

to tr

aini

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serv

ice

deve

lopm

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prov

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qua

lity

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esta

blis

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ogra

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eof

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hase

2)

9.D

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GN

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udge

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catio

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r E

CE

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and

plan

inve

stm

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RE

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CT

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rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)(0

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Iden

tific

atio

nof

cost

s an

d so

urce

sof

fin

anci

ng

CS:

Gro

ssly

inad

equa

te p

ublic

and

pri

vate

res

ourc

es to

prov

ide

qual

ity E

CE

D p

rovi

sion

.

0: a

vaila

bilit

y of

cos

t ben

efit

anal

yses

of

EC

ED

pro

visi

on,

inve

stm

ent i

n E

CE

D in

terv

entio

ns w

hich

yie

ld n

et g

ain

for

rein

vest

men

t, an

d su

bsta

ntia

l int

eres

t in

polic

y of

don

ors

and

IFIs

Res

earc

h ha

s de

mon

stra

ted

sign

ific

ant g

ains

in te

rms

scho

ol p

artic

ipat

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com

plet

ion,

and

ach

ieve

men

t, an

dre

duce

s re

med

ial a

nd r

ehab

ilita

tion

cost

s.

PRO

MO

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mor

eeq

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fund

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ratio

sfr

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l

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CT

anE

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t rev

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posi

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stat

emen

t with

inve

stm

ent

obje

ctiv

esfo

r al

l par

tner

s

OV

ER

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UL

budg

etal

loca

tions

for

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and

plac

e on

an

equi

tabl

e ba

sis

with

othe

red

ucat

ion

allo

catio

ns, i

dent

ifyi

ng a

reas

and

targ

ets

for

inve

stm

ent i

nco

llabo

ratio

n w

ith o

ther

EC

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prov

ider

s (P

hase

1)

INIT

IAT

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int

fina

ncia

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anni

ng w

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riva

te s

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, ind

ivid

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s(P

hase

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UA

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cost

effe

ctiv

enes

s of

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mod

els

bein

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lote

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area

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d(P

hase

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cost

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g E

CE

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rvic

es

(inc

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y,st

aff

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ldra

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har

mon

isat

ion

and

expa

ndin

g co

vera

ge(P

hase

3)

Gov

ernm

ent

with

rele

vant

Min

istr

ies

Col

labo

rate

with

othe

rE

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ovid

ers,

NG

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etc.

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labo

rate

with

pote

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ders

8081

(Cr

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czo

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E q

ualit

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(Nat

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ove

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sfo

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ent

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serv

ices

CS:

EC

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dat

a no

t par

t of

the

syst

emat

ic d

ata

colle

ctio

nof

the

coun

try.

Dat

a co

llect

ion

syst

ems

are

inad

equa

te,

thus

pre

vent

ing

usef

ul a

naly

sis

and

acce

ss to

add

ition

alfu

ndin

g.

C: C

ost a

nd u

nava

ilabi

lity

of s

uffi

cien

t tec

hnic

al e

xper

tise,

and

recu

rren

t lab

our

cost

s in

ass

embl

ing

qual

itativ

e as

wel

las

qua

ntita

tive

data

0: T

he im

prov

emen

t of

mon

itori

ng a

nd e

valu

atio

nca

paci

ty f

or E

CE

D a

ctiv

ities

will

eve

ntua

lly im

prov

eex

tern

al f

undi

ng s

uppo

rt. T

he c

urre

nt e

mph

asis

on

Edu

catio

n M

anag

emen

t Inf

orm

atio

n Sy

stem

s in

the

regi

onco

uld

add

to q

ualit

ativ

e im

prov

emen

t in

data

col

lect

ion

mec

hani

sms.

EX

TE

ND

cen

tral

mon

itori

ng a

nd d

ata

colle

ctio

n sy

stem

s to

incl

ude

youn

g ch

ild a

ndE

CE

D p

rovi

sion

IDE

NT

IFY

ess

entia

l ind

icat

ors

for

data

col

lect

ion

on s

tatu

s of

youn

gch

ildre

nan

dth

eir

lear

ning

envi

ronm

ent

and

EST

AB

LIS

H s

yste

m to

ass

ess

and

eval

uate

eff

ectiv

enes

s an

dqu

ality

inea

rly

child

hood

setti

ngs

with

spe

cial

atte

ntio

n to

tran

sitio

n (P

hase

1)

EN

SUR

E th

at r

ecor

d ke

epin

gsy

stem

sin

EC

ED

pro

visi

ons

info

rms

cent

ral p

lann

ing

polic

yde

velo

pmen

t (Ph

ase

2)

DE

VE

LO

P an

d su

stai

n ca

paci

tyof

polic

y'th

ink

tank

'to

infl

uenc

e de

cisi

on m

akin

g an

dm

ake

data

ava

ilabl

e to

info

rmre

sear

ch a

nd p

ract

ice

need

s.(P

hase

3)

Gov

ernm

ent,

with

tech

nica

las

sist

ance

,an

dsp

ecia

list i

n th

eE

CE

D a

rea.

33 c, 5

10.

(con

tinue

d)

IMPR

OV

E q

ualit

y in

mon

itori

ng, e

valu

atio

n an

d tr

aini

ng s

uppo

rt in

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ED

ISSU

EB

ASI

S FO

R A

CT

ION

RE

CO

MM

EN

DE

D A

CT

ION

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rent

situ

atio

n. C

onst

rain

ts/O

ppor

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ls/ta

rget

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rate

gies

/Act

ions

Res

pons

ibili

ty(C

S)(C

)10

)(a

nd ti

min

g in

pha

ses)

(Nat

, Reg

, Int

l.)

Stre

ngth

enin

gtr

aini

ng in

sup

port

of E

CE

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ervi

ces

_CS:

trai

ning

tend

s to

be

frag

men

ted

rath

er th

an in

tegr

ated

,re

info

rcin

g di

visi

on b

etw

een

care

give

rs a

nd te

ache

rs, a

ndle

adin

g to

dif

fere

nt c

aree

r pa

ths

and

accr

edita

tion

proc

esse

s an

d fi

nanc

ial o

utco

mes

C: c

ost o

f co

mpr

ehen

sive

pre

-tra

inin

g to

pro

fess

iona

lle

vel i

s pr

ohib

itive

, and

ther

e is

som

e re

sist

ance

am

ongs

tpr

ofes

sion

als

to th

e de

velo

pmen

t and

ada

ptat

ion

of in

serv

ice

mod

els

of tr

aini

ng a

nd c

ompe

tenc

y as

sess

men

t.

0: w

ork

base

d in

serv

ice

mod

els

of tr

aini

ng a

ndco

mpe

tenc

y as

sess

men

t, ac

cred

itatio

n an

d ce

rtif

icat

ion,

allo

w f

or c

onsi

dera

ble

flex

ibili

ty f

or in

divi

dual

s to

pur

sue

know

ledg

e an

d sk

ills

at a

ppro

pria

te le

vels

with

out

unde

rgoi

ng e

xpen

se o

f fu

ll-tim

e tr

aini

ng. C

ompe

tenc

ytr

aini

ng m

odel

s no

w e

xist

whi

ch r

efle

ct a

ll st

ages

of

the

proc

ess

from

the

poor

ly e

duca

ted

entr

ant t

o th

epr

ofes

sion

al e

quiv

alen

ts o

f un

iver

sity

or

colle

ge tr

aine

dgr

adua

tes

INT

EG

RA

TE

trai

ning

bas

edon

voca

tiona

lro

utes

toqu

alif

icat

ions

, and

on

path

sth

at c

an a

chie

ve te

ache

rst

atus

DE

SIG

N in

tegr

ated

trai

ning

mod

el in

corp

orat

ing

full

age

rang

e w

ith h

olis

tic a

spec

ts o

fch

ildre

n's

need

s an

d T

AR

GE

Tke

y w

orke

rsin

heal

th a

nded

ucat

ion

sect

ors

who

nee

dpa

rt-t

rain

ing

in u

nfam

iliar

are

asof

EC

ED

(Ph

ase

1)

TA

RG

ET

pot

entia

l lea

ders

for

EC

ED

man

agem

ent f

or h

ighe

rpr

ofes

sion

aled

ucat

ion

and

man

agem

ent

skill

str

aini

ng(P

hase

2)

DE

VE

LO

P in

tegr

ated

trai

ning

mat

eria

ls w

hich

pro

mot

e ac

tive

rese

arch

ski

ll fo

r de

velo

ping

cultu

ral

and

com

mun

ityun

ders

tand

ings

(Pha

se 2

)

CO

NST

RU

CT

trai

ning

and

accr

edita

tion

rout

esfo

ral

lE

CE

D p

erso

nnel

and

ena

ble

pare

nts

and

com

mun

itym

embe

rs in

to th

e sy

stem

.

Gov

ernm

ent,

orde

lega

ted

tona

tiona

ltr

aini

ngag

ency

,w

ithE

CE

Dsp

ecia

list

supp

ort a

ndof

reco

gniz

ed te

rtia

ryin

stitu

tions

.

Cn

8485

56


The way forward:

The Plan of Action suggests time-scales for planning in three

distinct phases:

The First phase identifies the need for a number oforganizational tasks and the development of planningprocesses;

The Second phase is concerned with the improvementof services, the introduction of new service modelsand staff training;

The Third phase is concerned with the process ofsystematizing services, and ensuring theirsustainability through monitoring, support andevaluation, and the training system established.

86

It is expected that the Plan of Action will be revised accordingto individual country priorities and situations and levels ofECED development.

While the length of time for each phase will depend on theextent of activities undertaken, it is intended that the Plan ofAction will be fully implemented in each country within sixyears (1997-2002).

The intended process of implementation of the Plan of Actionbegins with its discussion at the May 1997 meeting of theStanding Committee of Ministers of Education to prepare aposition to be presented at the July CARICOM Heads ofGovernment Meeting in Jamaica, at the time of discussion ofCaribbean Human Resource Development.

As a preparatory step towards this meeting, the Plan of Actionwill be discussed in the technical meeting of the Association ofCaribbean Chief Education Officers in May 1997.


RESOLUTION ADOPTED Appendix III

WHEREAS from the 1st day of April, 1997 to the 5th of April, 1997 the Second Caribbean Conference on Early ChildhoodEducation was held in Barbados and attended by participants from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, BritishVirgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands.

AND WHEREAS the participants attending the Conference were desirous of establishing a Caribbean Association for EarlyChildhood Education and Development;

AND WHEREAS it was proposed that such an Association should have as its main objectives the

(a) Advancement of Early Childhood Education and Development throughout the Caribbean;

(b) Setting up of a framework for the development of Early Childhood of Early Childhood Education and Developmentprogrammes in the Caribbean;

(c) Addressing of issues relating to Early Childhood Education and Development in the Caribbean in terms of policy, structuresand implementation;

(d) Facilitation of a system of networking Early Childhood Education and Development bodies, organisations and personnelregionally and internationally;

(e) Encouragement and facilitation of the formation of national organisations throughout the Caribbean;

WE, the undersigned on behalf of our respective organisations hereby resolve on this 5th day of April, 1997 that the proposal forthe establishment of a Caribbean Association for Early Childhood Education and Development be adopted.

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SITUATION ANALYSIS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CAREAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN THE CARIBBEAN

Appendix IV

"..AFTER ALL, THE CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS"...BELIZE CRC CONFERENCE REPORT, P.52

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

9n October 1996 sixteen countries in the Caribbean regionsigned the Commitment to Action to improve nationalcapacities to meet obligations to children - an outcome of theCaribbean Conference on the Rights of the Child, Belize City.The propose Plan of Action for Early Childhood Education andDevelopment in the Caribbean countries will provide thelogical foundation for these CRC commitments, just asappropriate attention to the earliest years of children'sdevelopment provides the essential foundation block for lateracademic performance, economic productivity, and healthysocial and civic behaviour.

This paper reviews the Region's progress in 'making the careand protection of children everybody's business' . It looks firstat national legislative and planning capacities for supportingearly childhood education and development (ECED)programmes, then surveys what is known about types andcoverage of provisions for children in the Region from birth toschool entry. And finally, the paper examines the ways inwhich countries are striving to support and sustain ECEDinitiatives. Each section also contains possible ways forwardin developing systematic regional and national ECED plans ofaction.

A. The Region's Legislative and Planning Capacities

The Belize CRC Conference recognized that nationallegislative reform is both a lengthy and costly exercise, andtherefore recommended regional collaboration in areas ofresearch, and drafting of model legislation (e.g Children Act)which could then be adapted to national contexts. Increasingregional collaboration would also involve learning fromcurrent national activities that could inform other countries'initiatives. A few such examples included:

Defining child legal status (Montserrat, Dominica,Guyana, Turks and Caicos)Licensing and standards for child care facilities (St. Lucia,Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago)Defining parent and state responsibilities for children(Trinidad and Tobago)Developing national policy development/advocacy groupswith all social partners (Jamaica, Belize, Trinidad andTobago, Montserrat)

In terms of strengthening national capacity to plan for ECED52 provisions, the urgency of improving data systems to aid

planning was noted, especially in targeting delivery for thosechildren and families most in need (e.g Profiles system,Jamaica). Equally important was the need to see ECEDprovisions as integral to other government policies andprovisions, such as health care, maternity leave provisions,housing development policies, poverty eradication/jobcreation programmes, environmental safety and sanitationrequirements. Quality ECED provisions, particularly incontexts of poverty, cannot be sustained without these policiesof convergence aimed at strengthening whole communities

B. The Region's Provisions for Children from Birthto School Entry

Throughout the Region pressures for greater spending andsupport for ECED are fueled by such socio-economic factorsas increased female labour force participation and householdheadship, high levels of adult out-migration to earn (especiallyfemales), high levels of under- and unemployment, high ratesof teenage childbearing, and poor quality services, especiallyfor the one out of every three children living in poverty.Despite increasing recognition that poor quality starts foryoung children tend to create costlier remedial solutions later,governments of the region have been slow to redress theinequities implicit in national education budgets which spendthe most on the oldest (and the wealthiest) children, whileECED provisions range from .02% to 4% of total budgets.

In surveying reports on services for children from twelvecountries in the Region, the following were among the generaltrends noted:

Accurate data on coverage and quality of provisions arevery scarce

92

NGOs and private individuals provide the bulk ofpreschool services, particularly for children below agethree. Thus the full financial burden falls on parents,excluding most of the poor.

Considerable fragmentation, overlap, and duplication inday care and preschool provisions obtain, especially re-training, standards of operation, and monitoring systems

Low pay, low status, poor working conditions, high jobturnover, limited career advancement are the norm formost day care/preschool providers


The vast majority of pre-primary personnel are untrainedor under-trained for their posts

Physical facilities are often inadequate, with very limitedlearning and play materials and equipment

All these trends contribute to the most over-riding trend of all- the vast majority of the services are not based ondevelopmentally sound principles. Even when levels ofcoverage are high, in response to parental need for supervisedand safe environments for their children, critical aspects ofpoor quality undermine optimum child development. Teacher-directed activities in over-crowded, poorly-equipped classroomspredominate; opportunities for language development,environmental exploration and development of social skillsand self-esteem are far to rare, and found almost exclusively inprivate centres.

Countering these trends will involve a number of integratedstrategies, beginning with sensitisation of policy-makers to thereal conditions and prospects of young boys and girls, giventhe hard survival choices of so many parents. Flexible modelsof service (e.g home-based care, overnight services, home-visiting programmes) are required which are more responsiveto the real needs of poor rural and urban parents. The mediamust be enlisted to programme more appropriately forchildren, to strengthen parents' understanding of their role asthe child's first educators, and to assist other stakeholders inthe promotion of the value of quality ECED provisions forfamilies and the wider society through public and parentingeducation strategiess. Investment partners will need to beenlisted who can see ahead to the economic and productivereturns from training ECED personnel, from providing

enriched learning environments, and from supportingdisadvantaged parents.

C. Issues of Support and Sustainability

Just as a child integrate his/her whole development from manysources over time, an integrated approach to ECED will resultin the most beneficial and cost-effective outcomes. Such anapproach implies a mix of cooperation among many partners,coordination of programme at the national and local levels,and/a- convergence of responsibilities under unitarymanagement Whatever the integration approach, researchevidence suggests that the mix of elements (preventive healthcare, ECED services, with structural, social and economicsupports) are most effectively combined with a devolution ofdecision-making power to generate community participationand ownership,

Rigorous analysis of national budgets, supported by improveddata systems, can assist the shifting of priorities downwards toearlier investments in children as well as the targetting of theseinvestments to reap the highest social and economic returns.To sustain these investments, governments will also need todevelop and support (with other partners) coherent trainingsystems, using regional and distance teaching strategies wherepossible, that provide career routes toward the highest levels ofECED training, and produce an ongoing cadre of personneldemanding and delivering higher quality services.

In conclusion, the balance of regional cooperation with phasednational action should move governments and their socialpartners forward together in harnessing the supports and inempowering local capacities for ECED efforts in the interestsof the rights of each child from birth.

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(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education (.Summary %port

A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE EVOLUTION or EARLYCHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION IN THE CARIBBEAN

INTRODUCTION

The islands of the Caribbean region reflect the colonial andlinguistic heritage of four nationalities, the English, theFrench, the Spanish and the Dutch. The AnglophoneCaribbean comprising sixteen countries is the largest group.Moving from a northwesterly to southeasterly direction, theseinclude viz: , the Cayman Islands, the Bahama Islands, Jamaica( the largest of the group), the Virgin Islands, Anguilla,Antigua & Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts - Nevis, Dominica,St Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Grenada, Trinidad &Tobago, Barbados. Belize to the north and Guyana to thesouth, although a part of the Central and South Americanmainlands respectively, are also included among the English-speaking conglomerate.

The Spanish -speaking countries include Cuba, the DominicanRepublic, and Puerto Rico, while the French-speakingcountries are Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe and the Frenchside of St:Maarten. Dutch is the official language of theNetherland Antilles viz: the Dutch side of St Maarten,Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire and Suriname on the South -American mainland.

The historical development of the economic, social andcultural life of these countries is remarkably similar, moresowithin the context of a shared colonial past. To this is owed thesomewhat common evolutionary pattern of early childhoodcare and education in the region, traditionally characterized bya predominance of private sector involvement in servicedelivery, with varying degrees of programme maintenanceand monitoring supports from Governments. This type ofpartnership approach predominates within the English-speaking group of countries, the exceptions being Barbados,Grenada and Guyana with the highest levels of governmentcommitment and involvement at this level of the educationalsystem. Cuba is also outstanding in the region for havingdeveloped its child care and education system to developedworld standards as a consequence of its political and socialpolicy orientations.

The Post War Period to 1969

During the post war period of the early twentieth century,economic and social changes worldwide increased the demandfor child care and development services outside of the home.Rapid industrialization created new employment opportunitiesfor both men and women and this led to gradual erosion ofsupportive family structures such as the extended family whichtraditionally provided for the child care needs of workingfamily members. Organized, outside of the home, custodial

child care facilities for working class parents sprang up inresponse to demand, and were usually established by privateindividuals, benevolent organizations like the Child WelfareLeague and institutions such as the church. In Trinidad &Tobago, the first private nursery school was opened in 1934,and in Jamaica, the first community basic school was openedin 1938.

By the mid 1950's converging factors intensified the demandfor early childhood facilities to offer more than custodial childcare. A proliferation of research in child development andlearning in developed countries, acknowledged the benefits tolater school success of planned early childhood educationopportunities, especially for the underprivileged child. Post-emancipation educational reforms in the region increasedprovisions for higher level educational programmes and therewas heightened interest among middle, and upper class parentsin the benefits of preschool education as the medium forproviding their children with the academic start that wouldensure later benefit from the expanded educational

opportunities.

International Support for ECCD

In spite of the rapid increase in number of local private earlychildhood facilities known by various names across the region-day care centres, creches, preschool centres, nursery schools,dame schools, basic schools- supply was inadequate to satisfydemand. This gave rise to situations such as developed inJamaica, where scores of preschool aged children not attendingany organized programme wandered idly about while theirparents were at work. The early preschool programmes werehighly academic in focus. Teachers demonstrated littleawareness of the qualitative differences in early childhoodlearning needs and appropriate pedagogical strategies.Physical facilities were often substandard and in unsafe andinappropriate locations.

Governments, pressured by rising social and economicproblems, were to varying degrees reluctant to include earlychildhood care and education in the budgetary provisions forsocial services. Hence, the delivery of these servicescontinued for the most part unmonitored by government andalmost totally dominated by the local private sector. UNICEFand the Bernard Van Leer Foundation (BVLF), wereamong the first international funding organizations to providesustained assistance to the region in support of child care,development and education services. UNICEF commenced

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary sport

assistance to the Caribbean in the early 1950's, channelling aidto countries for child survival programmes through variousregional institutions. UNICEF has since continued to play amajor role in heightening regional and national concern andpromoting the development of early childhood education andchild and family support programmes.

In 1966, The Bernard Van Leer Foundation in collaborationwith the University of the West Indies ( Jamaica campus)embarked on a project to improve the quality of earlychildhood education in the region. The Project for EarlyChildhood Education (PECE), directed by the late D.R.BGrant of the UWI Faculty of Education, aimed to expand andimprove the fledgling basic school system in Jamaica through:systematic and on-going in-service training of paraprofessionalteachers; development of a curriculum appropriate to the needsof the children, the school conditions and ability levels of theteachers; production of teaching/learning materials forteachers and pupils consistent with the curriculum; research todetermine the impact of all project inputs on children'scognitive development.

The success of this project was of national, regional andinternational significance, as in 1972, the JamaicanGovernment accepted the model and expanded it nationally tocreate the present Basic School System.

Regionally, the model was extended to Dominica as thePreschool Education Project, and subsequently has beenadopted or adapted by other Caribbean countries in developingtheir own national programmes. In 1967, arising from localdiscussions on the situation of young children in theCaribbean, the Government of Barbados requested UNICEFto jointly sponsor a regional conference on "The Needs of theYoung Child In the Caribbean". This was held in Novemberof that year, with representation from fourteen English-speaking Caribbean countries, Suriname, the University of theWest Indies, and relevant United Nations organizations.

The conference highlighted the deteriorating social andeconomic conditions of individual countries which jeopardizedthe normal healthy development of young children. Theseproblems included among others, rural-urban and overseasoutmigration of parents in search of work, leaving behind theiryoung children in very unsatisfactory child care arrangements;high levels of malnutrition among the young; inadequatehealth, nutrition and day care services targeting youngchildren; rising teenage pregnancy rates; unemployment andincreasing poverty. Among the several conferencerecommendations to ameliorate the existing conditionsaffecting children- legislation, health, nutrition, day care- wasone which called for "regional efforts to share tasks of varioustypes"(Conference Report, p. 57, 1967 ), in view of individualcountries' limited capacity to satisfactorily implementprogrammes.This conference proved to be the catalyst whichintensified activities in advocacy, training and programmeexpansion in the region.

THE DECADE OF THE SEVENTIES

As social and economic problems worsened during the 1970's,an upsurge of research activity in the region expanded the baseof empirical data on social and economic issues which couldinform programme development as well as support proposalsfor international funding assistance. Such research providedvaluable information on problems of children and theirfamilies, e.g. health and nutrition, child care and protection,socialization of children, social services provision, family lifeand cultural issues. Grant (1980), extensively cites some ofthese studies in "Volume 1: The Literature in Retrospect", ofhis " Life Style Study - Children of the Lesser World in theEnglish-Speaking Caribbean", a series of monographs. Thisfive volume series was developed from studies commissionedby the Bernard Van Leer Foundation, in preparation for theInternational Year of the Child, 1980.

The nature of the social problems prevalent in the region iscaptured below in the listed percentage ranges across English-speaking Caribbean countries, for selected social indicators.:

Social Indicators % Ranges

Single female headed households 35 50

Illegitimacy Rates among 15-19 yr olds 60 80

Unemployment -general 14 25

Unemployment- among women 50 - 60

Child malnutrition- mild-severe 6 - 40

Day care/preschool coverage 6 -25

Source: Davies, R. Report "Unicef in the Eastern Caribbean", Kingston, Jamaica, 1986Grant, DRB. "The Literature in Retrospect"- Vol. I, Life Style Study, UWI, Jam. ,I980

In spite of increased levels of assistance from UNICEF, theBernard Van Leer Foundation, the Canadian Save the ChildrenFund and other funding organizations, to improve the status ofchildren and children's services, individual governmentsduring this period, were slow to invest further public fundstowards increasing and improving provisions for earlychildhood care and education. Grenada, Barbados, Jamaica,Guyana and Montserrat moved ahead of other countries inproviding some government support for programmes. Somegovernments offered minimal support while others such as StVincent and the British Virgin Islands, had no governmentinvolvement in early childhood programmes. The privatesector was urged to continue in the lead role of serviceproviders.

Regional and subregional training activities for earlychildhood practitioners were executed by institutions such asThe Regional Preschool Child Development Centre (RPCDC

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renamed in 1986, The Caribbean Child Development Centre,CCDC), established by UNICEF at UWI- Jamaica in 1972, inresponse to the recommendations of the 1967 BarbadosConference. Servol in Trinidad and Cansave Child WelfareCentre in St. Vincent also provided subregional training forcountries in the eastern Caribbean. These regional activitiesincreased co-operation among countries in the sharing anddevelopment of resources and expertise to benefit nationalprogrammes. Some of the positive developments/activities inearly childhood care and education during the 1970's include:

1970 - Jamaica - Study on " Living Conditions of BasicSchool Children", by Grant, influencesthe development of appropriateexperiences for disadvantaged childrenin basic schools; findings applicableregionally

Trinidad Launch of first government preschoolproject, assisted by BVLF, at LaPastora Community Centre; led toestablishment of 15 such centres by1993

1972 - Jamaica - Government expands Basic Schoolsystem islandwide; establishes EarlyChildhood Unit within the Ministry ofEducationEstablishment of Regional PreschoolChild Development Centre, at UWIJamaica campus- to support regionalactivities in early childhood care anddevelopment through training, research,advocacy and development ofinnovative models of service delivery,and curriculum support materials

1973 - Trinidad - Servol establishes first preschool centrein Lavantille

1974 Trinidad Government establishes Pre schoolUnit in the Ministry of EducationBelize Christian Social Councilforms Committee for the Promotion ofEarly Childhood Education

1975 - Jamaica - Government launches National DayCare Programme

1976 Grenada - Government amends Education Act toinclude responsiblity for early childhoodcare and education programmes

1977 - Jamaica UWI offers B.Ed in early childhoodeducation for the first time, withassistance of BVLF and the EEC.

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1978 Antigua Establishment of Sir Luther WynterChild Development Centre, a modelpreschool programme and training

centre run by the University Centre.

1979 - Belize - Establishment of Preschool EducationUnit in the Ministry of Education.

THE 1980'S TO THE PRESENT

The 1980's marked the real turning point in achievement ofsignificant advances in early childhood care and education inthe region. Three factors contributed to this forward trend:

a) The designation of 1980 as the International Year of theChild (IYC), sparked a flurry of child-focused activities inindividual countries. Local Committees were set up todevelop proposals and plans for achieving the IYCobjectives. Many regional governments recognized theneed for regulations regarding the care and welfare of thepreschool child, hence the development of minimumoperational standards was highlighted during that year.Most countries drafted standards, but since thenlegislative action has been slow in coming.

b) The established pattern of UNICEF assistance tocountries shifted from sourcing through regionalinstitutions, to direct country assistance, due to theineffectiveness of the former arrangement in coping withthe dimensions and pace of individual countries'programme development thrusts . Between 1979 and1981, the following governments signed their first directProgrammes of Co-operation with UNICEF: Antigua &Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, StLucia, St Vincent. Several new agreements with these andother countries in the region have been signed since.

c) valuative studies of selected institutions and programmeshighlighted the main problems affecting early childhoodcare and development provision in the region and maderecommendations for the way forward. The GLY Report( Grant, Lusan, Yorke, 1979), the "Review/EvaluationReport of the Selected Services for Children Programme"(Ying, 1983), the SPRINGER Report (Springer, 1984),the "Review/ Evaluation Report on UNICEF in theEastern Caribbean" (Davies, 1986), are mentioned in this

regard.

Aspects of Programmes Targetted for Improvement

The direct funding approach had immediate benefits ascountries embarked on refurbishing and building day careand preschool facilities; increased supplies of furniture,

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education dummary %port

outdoor play equipment, toys and other learning materials,available through UNIPAC (the supplies arm of UNICEF) andother sources. There has been since then a notable increase inthe number of early childhood programmes in most countriesand logically, of enrolment and access.

The data below provide evidence of this expansion:

Country No. Progs in 1980 No. Progs in 1990

Antigua and Barbuda 32 50

Belize 24 81 (1994 data)

Dominica 54 66

Grenada 87* 121*

Jamaica 1500 200 (1993 data)

Montserrat - 15

St. Lucia 45 167

St. Kitts 23 42

St. Vincent 37 71

Trinidad 50+ 148+

+ (public centres only)* includes infant departments of primary schools

Source: Davies, R., UNICEF in the Eastern Caribbean", KingstonJamaica, 1986

.. Caribbean Journal of Education", Vol 17, No 2, Sep.1995World Bank "The Trinidad & Tobago Early Childhood Survey", 1995

Besides the emphasis on improving physical facilities andexpanding enrolment, there were other aspects of programmedelivery which attracted attention. Parent educationactivities developed momentum and have continued in thattrend to the present time. The focus of such programmes was toincrease the awareness and understanding of parents regardingthe psychological and other aspects of childhood developmentand also to increase their knowledge and appreciation for thecontent emphases and methodological approaches appropriatefor early childhood programmes. Although countries in theregion have experienced varying degrees of success, parenteducation efforts have continued to be boosted by thecontribution of many local and regional organizations. Someof the better known include UNICEF, BVLF, UNFPA, Savethe Children Fund, SERVOL, CCDC, PAREDOS, amongothers. Some governments now officially support a nationalstrategy for parent education, eg. the Ministry of Educationbased Coalition for Better Parenting in Jamaica. ParentingPartners ( an association of Jamaican organizations dedicatedto improving parenting skills), has made a very importantcontribution to the advancement of parenting education bydeveloping and publishing in 1994, a two volume manual, "Pathways to Parenting- A Caribbean Approach". The manualoffers a step by step training course for parent group facilitatorsand an accompanying comprehensive facilitator's guide. It ispresently used widely throughout the region.

The findings of the evaluative studies previously mentionedpointed to a need for renewed focus on teacher training, tobetter enable teachers at all levels to acquire and demonstrateskills appropriate for effective teaching and guiding ofchildren at the early childhood stage. A more systematicapproach to teacher/ caregiver training developed during thisperiod and has gradually become, with the continued supportof interternational organizations such as UNICEF, BVLF,Save the Children Fund, and more recently the World Bank, aclear area of government commitment in most countries.

It has been possible through such assistance to expand the typesand levels of training programmes offered since the mid1980's. In addition to regular in-service training for preschoolteachers at the para and semi-professional levels, certificate,diploma and degree level programmes in early childhoodeducation are now provided within the region.( These areselectively offered at Teachers' Colleges and at UWI inJamaica and Trinidad). The BVLF has supported innovativetraining models such as the Jamaica -based "North CoastProject" (1987 1993) and the five summers, part timebachelor of education degree programme at UWI(1985 -1992). In some countries, the training of caregivers continuesto be less organized and systematic than that provided forpreschool teachers. The RPCDC (now CCDC) , Servol andVinsave Training Centre must be credited for their outstandingcontribution to the training of hundreds of early childhoodpractitioners in the region.

In the 1980's, much interest was shown by individualcountries, in developing new, or improving existingcurricula for children's as well as teacher trainingprogrammes. The concern was for better quality preschoolexperiences for children. In Jamaica for instance themultifaceted Program for Advancement of ChildhoodEducation(PACE), was launched by government in 1987 toimprove the working conditions of basic school teachers andthe learning environment in basic schools. In that year also,the Government of Trinidad and Tobago officially invitedServol to expand its training model islandwide as the nationaltraining programme. During this period, Servol's "Spices"curriculum for 3-5 year olds, Jamaica's " Readiness"curriculum for 3-5 year olds and St. Lucia's "Pre schoolCurriculum Manual" all came into being and have been usednationally in preschool programmes since. The RPCDC,through annual regional workshops for preschool programmeco-ordinators , spearheaded a move towards regionalcurriculum standardization for the training of early childhoodcaregivers/teachers. This collective action resulted in theproduction of a six volume " Manual for the Training of EarlyChildhood Educators in the Caribbean", between 1984 and1985. This series, although currently in need of updating, isstill used as principal training resource material in a number ofcountries.

Advocacy is another programme related area that grewsteadily stronger during this period. The heightened interest in

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(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary deport

early childhood care and education generated during theInternational Year of the Child, was kept alive in individualcountries in various ways, e.g. designating a special "earlychildhood" week or month each year for public attention toearly childhood issues and happenings; formation of variouslocal associations of day care providers and preschool teachers,with an agenda to maintain public attention on issues relevantto early childhood care and education. Other more recentinternational developments such as the Convention on theRights of the Child, and the 1990 World Summit on Childrenhave provided further motivation for advocacy groups tointensify their efforts towards achievement of desired goals.

Commiting Governments to Action

Governments in the region are becoming more responsive tolocal and international pressure to invest more resources inearly childhood care and education. Most are signatories to theConvention on the Rights of the Child and the World Summitgoals. Since the advent of the 1990's, there has been growingconcern for issues such as programme quality, appropriateness,affordability and sustainability, in the face of diminishingexternal resources. Of equal concern has been the inequitableaccess to programmes for the rural child, and more effectivetargetting of poor children. Different cost -effective models arebeing tried eg. the BVLF roving caregiver model in Jamaica,homevisiting and home based nursery models throughout theregion, all aimed at reaching poor children, especially in lowincome and rural areas.

REFERENCES

Davies, R. 1986

Davies, R. edit. 1995

The dilemma regional governments now face is that in spite ofthe will to support improvement and extension of earlychildhood care and development programmes, there arelimited resources from which to make increased financialcommitments. Allocations for early childhood care andeducation still remain minute compared to other levels of theeducation system for most countries. In some instances, thepercentage allocation to this programme level is actuallydeclining. Some interest is being shown in integratedprogramming approaches such as have been tried successfullyin Latin America and other regions. This approach encouragesintersectoral co-operation in ensuring that various services forthe child are offered from the base of an early childhoodprogramme. This approach has been shown in Colombia andEngland, for example, to be more cost effective than thetraditional approach.

In the search for solutions, governments in the region will beencouraged to examine these integrated options for providingaffordable and sustainable quality care for children. In thisregard, there will be need for greater networking ofgovernments in the region among each other as well as withcountries outside of the region, in order to facilitate learningfrom shared experiences. Servol has already set precedence forsuch infra- regional networking through the annual meetingsheld up until recently in Trinidad with support from theBernard Van Leer Foundation. The value of such annualmeetings to regional networking must be underscored, andCaribbean governments should now rise to the challenge ofcollectively supporting the resumption of these regionalassemblies.

UNICEF in the Eastern Caribbean. Report: UNICEF Barbados, October 1986.

Early childhood care and education in the Caribbean: an overview of issues and concerns.Caribbean Journal of Education, Early Childhood Education Vol 17 No. 2, September 1995.

Grant, D.R.B. 1974 Living conditions of some basic school children: pointers to disadvantage. Monograph, Kingston, Jamaica :Bernard Van LeerFoundation.

Grant, Lusan, Yorke.1979

Grant, D.R.B., 1980.

. 1981

McDonald, K., and

J. Brown. 1993

Miller, E. 1992

68 Ying, N. 1983

The GLY Report on the Regional Preschool. Child Development Project. U.W.I. Kingston, Jamaica .

The Literature in Retrospect. Vol 1, Life Style Study- children of the lesser world in the English-speaking Caribbean:monograph. Centre for Early childhood Education/Bernard van Leer Foundation, Kingston, Jamaica

Ecological characteristics of the target areas. Vol 2, Life Style Study -children of the lesser world in the English-speakingCaribbean: monograph. Centre for Early Childhood Education/Bernard Van Leer Foundation. Kingston, Jamaica.

Evaluation of day care services in Jamaica. Kingston, Jamaica:Caribbean Child Development Centre, UWI programme inJamaica.Report..Kinsgton, Jamaica: Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture/ Bernard Van Leer Foundation.

Education for all-Caribbean perspectives and imperatives.Interamerican Development Bank:Johns Hopkins UniversityPress.Washington D.0

The Needs of the Young Child in the Caribbean. Report. Barbados, WI

Situation Analysis of Children & Women: Antigua 1990; Dominica 1993; Jamaica 1994; Montserrat 1992; St. Kitts/Nevis1993; St. Lucia 1992; St. Vincent 1992.

Child survival, development and protection in the Eastern Caribbean: consolidating achievements and meeting the challengesof the 21st century. Draft sub-regional summary of the 1996 situation analyses of children and their families in Antigua/Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts/Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent-Grenadines

Review / evaluation report for the selected services for children programme. UNICEF Kingston, Jamaica

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(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education dummeiry %port

WHY DO CHILDREN OF THE CARIBBEAN NEED PROGRAMMESOF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOP1VIENT?

1. The first three years of a child's life are critical fortheir development

git no point in the development of scientific research into thedevelopment of the human brain has there been a moment suchas the present for proving that this statement is true. Recentresearch shows how the electric activity of the brain cellschanges the physical structure of the brain. "There is atimescale to brain development, and the most important year isthe first "'. A child's brain needs the stimulation of experiencesin the environment from birth in order to develop to its fullcapacity. What this means for children deprived of suchstimulation is that their brains suffer.

Experience is the chief architect of the brain'

Children who don't play much or who are rarely toucheddevelop brains 20% to 30% smaller than normal for their age.For a child who has experienced abuse or emotional neglect,the effects may be impossible to erase at a later stage. Beforebirth, changes in a child's environment in the womb caused bythe mother's malnutrition, drug abuse or viral infection candamage developmental process resulting in epilepsy, mentalretardation and other negative effects on the brain.

Parents and carers can be enabledto provide the experience

The development of high quality ECED programmes can atleast arrest negative brain development and at best provide theenvironment for the development of the child to his or her fullpotential. Where could programmes start except with theparent or child's carer? The research data show the importanceof hands on parenting, of finding time to cuddle a baby, talkwith a toddler and provide infants with stimulatingexperiences. Even if we cannot change what happens beforebirth, we can change what happens afterwards. Scientists havedescribe these first years as providing sensitive points, like"windows", through which it is possible to make critical inputsin a child's development to shape and stabilise braindevelopment, and create long lasting structures. In addition,unless micronutrient and protein-energy malnutrition isprevented or corrected by age two or three it is very difficult toreverse the damage later.

A child's development is more than a need;it is a human right

Robert Myers inThe Twelve Who Survive3, and in a number ofsubsequent publications including those specifically looking atneeds in the Caribbean, makes eight arguments for investmentin ECED programmes. His first argument is a human rightsargument: children have a right to live and to develop to theirfullest potential. In this context, most Caribbean Governmentshave ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child whichpromotes not only the survival but the fullest development ofthe child. This recent research demonstrates how we cannotignore the environment within which children are born and livein the first year of life, and their right to conditions whichafford them their rights as human beings. In thinking about theimplications for ECED programming in the Caribbean, whatmore persuasive argument do we need for not only support toparents but for good, affordable day care? It "is not a luxury ora fringe benefit for welfare mothers and working parents butessential brain food for the next generation4"

2. Early Intervention in the years before schoolentry has long term effects

The scientific argument for investment in ECED programmesis based not only on the immediate benefits for the child and itsparents, in terms of the development of intelligence,personality and social behavior, but on the long term outcomesand benefits in terms of the child's ability to contribute to thecommunity and the nation.

Rich experiences really do produce rich brains

It is becoming increasingly clear that well-designedprogrammes can help many children overcome glaring deficitsin their environment. If the opportunity to provideprogrammes of high quality is not lost, the new environmentscreated can model children's minds in the ways in whichCaribbean societies aspire. There is solid research in supportof high quality ECED programming from across the world,perhaps the most well known of which is the Highscope/PerryPreschool longitudinal study' which followed a set ofdisadvantaged African American urban children exposed to ahigh quality ECE programme, and a control group, for over 20

'NEWMAN, F., (1997) President of the USA Education Commission, quoted in same article, p35'PERRY, B. Dr., (1997) Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, as quoted in Time Magazine, 10 February, pg393MYERS, R.G., (1992) The Twelve Who Survive. Strengthening Programmes of Earlt Childhood Development in the Third World London,Routledge, 1992'NASH, M.J., (1997) Fertile Minds. Time Magazine, 10 February 1997, p405HIGHSCOPE Educational Foundation (1964/1992) Study of 123 African Americans born in poverty

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years. The test group at age 27 were interviewed and withcorroborating independent data produced the followingfindings: the experimental group had 1/5 to the arrests of thecontrol group, received less welfare assistance in their adultlives, and higher school achievement and literacy scores, hadmore numbers graduate from high school, made more longlasting marriages, had fewer out of wedlock births anddisplayed greater social responsibility.

Positive results similar to those of the Perry study came from alongitudinal study providing parent training at home and ingroups in low income urban communities in Turkey. Theimpact of the improved parenting skills was still measurablystrong when the subjects were found ten years later measuressuch as higher participation of the father in family life, highergrade achievement and better school performance of thestudents6.

Surely this is also an issue of moral and social values?

Yes, it is. As Robert Myers points out in his social and moralargument, "through children humanity transmits its values.To preserve moral and social values - or to change them 'for thebetter' one must begin with children. Values such as livingtogether harmoniously or appreciating and protecting theenvironment begin to take hold in the preschool years and canbe promoted through child care and development programmes".In the examples of the studies in the USA and Turkey, thechild's experience of the stability of family life supported byhigh quality ECED Programmes and the associated confidenceand self esteem which comes with achievement, assisted themto break the intergenerational cycle of family break down (ofwhich crime, poverty and low academic progress arecontributing factors).

Can children benefit from primaryschool without enrichment?

Most Caribbean governments only begin their formalinvestments in people with major public expenditure forprimary education, after critical shaping has already takenplace. Despite high primary enrolment in the EnglishSpeaking Caribbean, much more could be achieved to reduceprimary repetition and drop out rates by ensuring that childrenhave developed sufficiently to make the transition into schoolin the first place. As poor children enter primary school,UNICEF cites the close association between lack ofachievement and low self esteem and anxiety.

Another key factor is inadequate nutrition; poor academicachievers weigh less, have a poor history of breakfast, havelow haemoglobin levels and visit a clinic for illness severalmore times than higher achievers'. This is a much morefundamental problem than lack of 'readiness' for school.Based on the scientific research above, remedial education ifundertaken at age three or four may be far more effective thatat a later stage. If it is not undertaken, the research seems tosupport the Caribbean experience that "eight is too late" - halfof our children graduating from primary school will haverepeated at least one year, and a quarter will have dropped out.

3. Investment in ECED increases future economicproductivity and employment

This is not only an economic argument but one that makecommon sense. "A person who is well developed physically,mentally, socially and emotionally will be in a better positionto be employed and to contribute economically to family,community and country'''. Robert Myers cites the wealth ofresearch which points to the links between improvements inthe levels of schooling and improvements in economicproductivity: schooling helps to build skills such as the abilityto organize knowledge into meaningful categories, to transferknowledge from one situation to another, and to be moreselective in the use of information; it facilitates greatertechnological adaptiveness; it relates directly to both increasedformal productivity and productivity in the informal marketsector.

UNICEF and World Bank research show that an extra year ofprimary education increases the future productivity of a person(in terms of hourly wage) between 10 and 30%9.

Integrated approaches to investment pays off for the child

But there is little value in schooling even at primary levelwhich is inaccessible to those children who are unabledevelopmentally to benefit from it. Whilst urging theinvestment at primary level and beyond, the literature from theWorld Bank demonstrates the potential of an integratedapproach to investment across sectors which will yield net gainto be reinvested back into early childhood education anddevelopment. Targeting only one aspect for intervention (forexample increasing child survival and school performance willincrease the net gain for reinvestment. "ECD is an investmentof which we can expect a future pay off. There is nothing thatforces us to start such investments at age 6, with primary

6KAGITCIBASI, BEKMAN and GOSKEL (1195) Amulti purpose model of non formal education in Coordinators Notebook. The ConsultativeGroup on Early Childhood Care and Development, New York'UNICEF May (1996) The Economics of Child Poverty in Jamaica CAO, Bridgetown, Barbados'MYERS, R.G., (1995) Early childhood care and development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean 1DB, Washington'UNICEF (1996) Policy Documents Regional Perspective, ROLAC, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia

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education"1° That pay off is estimated to be sevenfold in theHighscope study a benefit cost ratio of over $7.00 wasreturned to the public for ever $1.00 invested.

ECED investment reduces economic strain on societies

Not only does the child benefit; ECED programmes enableincreased labor force participation by women, and free oldersiblings to go to school or to get a job. Furthermore, there is asavings potential and programme efficacy argument: RobertMyers cites studies demonstrating the potential of ECEDprogrammes to reduce work losses because children ofworkers are well cared for; to reduce health costs because goodcare involves preventive measures; to reduce inefficiency inthe school system by reducing repetition, drop out andremedial programmes, and to reduce costs related to socialwelfare and crime.

4. ECED reduces social, economic and genderinequalities

In much of the English Speaking Caribbean, one in threechildren are living in poverty. Although traditionally childrearing has been a role ascribed to one gender in the homecontext, increasingly it is the women who head 30-40% of theregion's households and whose participation in the labor forcesteadily increases. The human waste incurred by the neglect ofECED investments is evidenced by the high costs of correctiveand remedial programmes for addressing problems as theysurface in later life from chronic malnutrition, births tounprepared and immature teenage mothers, numbers ofchildren engaged in child labor and prostitution, numbers ofchildren in the poorest quintile of society who leave secondaryinstitutions without certification, barely literate, and end up inthe ranks of the unemployed, the rising instance of child abuseand child rape, and the sharp increase in crimes committed bythe under 25's.

The gap between rich and poor never closes

The circle in which poor children find themselves is aviciousone. Children from poor families often fall quickly andprogressively behind their more advantaged peers in their

readiness for school and life, and that gap is never closed.Governments can intervene to foster early childhooddevelopment,; failure to do so is a tacit endorsement andstrengthening of the inequalities which exist".

The precarious position of boys andthe disadvantaged position of girls

Contradictory patterns in the region of apparent advantage ordisadvantage to boys in the education system are indicative ofhuge changes taking place in Caribbean societies from thefamily to the wider institutions in society. Whilst there isevidence in some areas that boys are less prepared on entry toschools than girls, and are later out-numbered in achievementand enrolment at tertiary levels by as much as 2 to 1, it is alsotrue that girls still experience discrimination in lowexpectations in the outcomes of the investment in theireducation. ECED programmes in the region havedemonstrated that expectations of girls' achievements can beraised by high quality programmes, and that investment inprogrammes can increase women's productivity and result insavings to society. However, the precarious position of malechildren in the region emerging from recent research needs tobe addressed in ECED programmes". Both these strands inwealth and gender equalities make up the social equityargument.

Integrated approaches to ECED must reflect a worldchanged by social and economic conditions

Children survive worldwide at an increasing rate - now 14 inevery 15, compared to 5 out of 6 in 1960, but other changeschallenge the vision and will of government to act in the bestinterests of the very young child: changing family structuresand childrearing practices, rural-urban migration, growingparticipation of women in the labor force, the challenge to mento participate equally within nurturing and household contextsand the relevance of schooling content and methodologies areall arguments which constitute a strong rationale forsupporting increased investment in ECED programmes. Noone source of energy or funding (family, community,governmental, non-governmental) is sufficient; just as thearguments for ECED are interwoven, the approaches need tobe integrated by those and for those affected"

'Nan der GAAG, J. (1996) Early Childhood Development. Investing in the Future, World Bank, Washington

"MYERS, R.G., (1995) these two sections are drawn from Myers' formulation of arguments for ECED programmes'2BROWN, J et al (1995) and (1997) Gender Socialization Project Reports Caribbean Child Development Centre, University of the West Indies,Mona, Jamaica"MYERS, R.G. (1995) with many thanks to Robert Myers' work in identifying the research and the arguments

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FROM BELIZE TO BARBADOS:AFFORDING CHILDREN THEIR RIGHTS FROM BIRTH

Introduction: a Social Partnership Approach in theCaribbean

or those of you who attended the Caribbean Conference onthe Rights of the Child held in Belize City in October last year,you will be aware of the considerable commitments thatGovernments in the Region made to specific actions toimprove their countries' capacities to meet obligations tochildren under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In a process of tutorials, conference participants identifiedcritical steps for child protection and care, amongst which wasthe role of day care in the lives of young children, and theirfamilies. Some very interesting recommendations were made.First, participants noted that whether or not day care wasprivately run (such as in home based care), there should still bean involvement by the community and the government:

"because after all the care and protection of childrenis everybody's business"H (p.52) (our emphasis)

In the same session, participants also recommended thattraining be provided not only to caregivers and teachers inchild care settings, but also to parents, "because the parent isthe child's first teacher". The theme of comprehensiveinvolvement was emphasised in the recommended supports forchild care services from health staff and community workers,and from government in the form of financial subsidy andstandards setting; in addition:

"We saw it necessary , as a group, to ensurethat all the social partners were involved:the private sector, who may contributematerials for either construction or renovation,the members of the community to ensure thatstandards are adhered to" (ibid) (our emphasis)

Delegates made these recommendations in the context ofexploring child care and protection concerns. In most parts ofthe world, the recommendations that tend to follow are usuallyseparate from recommendations that relate to the education ofthe child, or to the economic or social circumstances of acommunity, and they thus tend to identify a need for a socialwelfare service for the child. What is very interesting in theBelize recommendations is the way in which participants inthis region are thinking:

1. Day care is seen as a matter of concern for everyone inthe society, not a private family need met by any means

that a family can afford; and society here is seen as acombination of forces within the community andgovernment.

2. Training must include all those involved, and inparticular the parent because he or she is seen as thefirst educator of the child.

3. Day care requires support from a social partnership ofthose with economic stakes, such as the vested intereststhe private sector and government have in stability andproductivity; governmental concerns for the safety andviability of services to children, which require standardsand monitoring in order to be effective; communityconcerns for the health and development of children; andfamily concerns for their individual sons and daughters.

Our Brief: Supporting Early Childhood Initiatives in theRegion

Here in Barbados, in this Second Conference on EarlyChildhood Education in the Caribbean, we are being asked toconsider early childhood education in its broadest sense, toincorporate the development of the very young child frombirth; the role of all educators of the child including parents andmedia and other influences in society; and the ways in whichsocial partnerships can be forged to produce early childhoodservices for children.

It is because this brief is so broad that we have also needed todefine the concept and approach that you will hear in thispaper, and that you will hear and see reflected or contested ina number of papers and contributions in this conference.

1. Using the term Early Childhood Education andDevelopment (ECED)

We will be using the term Early Childhood Education andDevelopment (ECED) to incorporate the meanings ininitiatives and services for children from birth to school age.To shorten this to ECE would tend to make us think of pre-school services alone; to shorten this to ECD might make usseem to exclude them. In some countries the acronym isbroadened further to include Care; we have not done so herebecause we want Care to be seen in a dynamic way as integralboth to education and development. Care on its own has tendednot to imply a similar dynamic and sense of process as theother two terms, but rather a sense of statis or custodianship.

"UNICEF CAO, (1996) The Report of the Caribbean Conference on the Rights of the Child, Bridgetown, Barbados

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2. Developing the framework in the Draft plan ofAction

We will be exploring the situations affecting ECED in theregion within the same framework as the proposed Draft Planfor Caribbean Countries. As you know the Draft Plan ofAction is designed as a tool to assist countries to plan ECEDactivities. In using the same framework, we hope in this paperto be contributing in a logical way to a process of considerationof the issues so as not to confuse the development of Countrybased planning.

3. Assisting country based analysis of ECED

We will also be setting out an analytical structure into which,having examined the trends affecting the Caribbean Region,you will be able to locate your own data sets and responses tothe UNICEF CAO questionnaire. We are not in a position tooffer you an analysis of your own country's ECED planningand implementation at this stage but hope that you will find theexamples from individual countries, and the analysis of trends,useful for interpreting the situation as you monitor andevaluate it in your own country.

FIRST STEPS: Do we have the legislation and planningcapacity for ECED?

First we looked at statements made to the Belize Conferenceon the legislative framework and planning capacity forchildren, and specifically for early childhood, of individualparticipating countries in the Region.

I. Taking a collaborative approach in the Region

A recommendation of the Belize conference was for acollaborative approach between countries to take forward thelegislative and institutional measures needed for compliancewith the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This approachmight call on the legal facilities of CARICOM to carry outstudies in Member States "to bring about some form ofuniformity on the various bits of legislation which deal with therights of children" (ibid, p.55). Also, it might be united withthe OECS initiative mentioned in the Statement fromDominica (ibid, p.139) to draft a model Education Act forimproving the quality of education for children.

2. Creating a new vision for children in legislation

However there was recognition at the Belize Conference thatthe potential of legislation to shape rights and expectations ina society would take considerably more thought than justcompiling what already existed with amendments andrevisions necessary to ensure compliance with the Convention.The capacity of legislation to move a society into a new visionand understanding, to enable and empower persons to act intheir own interests, is created when rights and duties are framednot only to protect persons but to mobilise and promote new

ways of being. The group reporting on legislative andinstitutional measures at the Conference agreed on the need forall legislation to:

"be brought under the umbrella of a single welfare act, forexample, a Children's Act" (ibid, p. 55).

3. The lack of legislation framing ECED servicedevelopment

How would this development assist the process of ECED incountries in the Region? It would enable us to help one anotherto fill a gap which exists in every country that participated atBelize, a gap created by the lack of legislative framework forconceptualising, enabling and providing comprehensive earlychildhood services. In the Country statements annexed to theBelize Conference Report, each country indicated theirlegislative planning. Some countries have indicated the needfor legislation to govern the protection of children at risk,specifying in clear terms the statutory responsibilities of theState, responsibilities which may include the need to establishprovisions to ensure adequate day care (Grenada, Suriname).Others are more concerned with the legal status of the child;Montserrat plans to table a Status of Children Act this year, andDominica, Guyana and the Turks and Caicos Islands identifieda need for improvement on legal child status.

Trinidad and Tobago identified the need specifically tolegislate to regulate child care facilities. In Belize, theNational Committee for Families and Children (NCFC) plansto advocate for enabling legislation to ensure provision of childcare and day care services, with special attention to improvingaffordability for low income families, and to facilitating theentry of more women into the work force.

In Belize, a project to develop a Families and Children Act isbeing undertaken by the NCFC, the Ministry of HumanResources, UNICEF and the National Childrens Home Actionfor Children in the UK. Amongst other goals, the proposedAct is intended to promote the Child's role in decisionmaking, to foster their capacity to grant informed consent asstipulated in the Convention. This is a difficult area forenforcement in early childhood, but it can lead to thedevelopment of advocacy services for children particularlythose caught in difficult circumstances in which no adult can besaid to be speaking for them, apart from their own immediateinterests.

4. Defining responsibility of parent and government

Also, Trinidad and Tobago are considering further ...amendments to the Children (Amendment) Act 1994 to Ifinclude "making better provisions for the rights and incidents i

of parenthood and guardianship and for parental responsibility" '......(ibid, p. 126). This would be an important step in identifyingwhat is meant by parental responsibility; how far parentalresponsibility extends for the development of a child from 73

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birth, and what the governmental responsibilities are toprovide support for families and specific interventions for theprotection of the child's interests.

5. Leadership for ECED in national groupings

Several countries have identified key committees of non-governmental organizations which are leading the developmentof policy issues and programmes in early childhood on behalfof the country. Several have done so within the context ofcommittees established to formulate national Plans of Actionfor the Implementation of the World Declaration on theSurvival, Protection and Development of Children in the 1990s(Guyana, Jamaica). In Trinidad and Tobago there is a NationalCouncil for Early Childhood Care and Education. InMontserrat, a proposal to establish a Child Advocacy Boardhas been submitted to the Honourable Attorney General. Ifestablished, the Board will have responsibility for identifyingareas of legal reform and for making necessaryrecommendations. In Belize, there is the National Committeefor Families and Children (NCFC) which has become thegovernment's main advisory body in relation to issues dealingwith families and children. The Belize NCFC has ensured thatit has the mechanisms in place for establishing socialpartnerships: its members include the Cabinet Secretary,heads of Social Sector Government Departments,representatives of Churches, the Business Community andappropriate Educational Institutions, etc. With UNICEF/Belize's financial support and technical assistance, a

Secretariat headed by a paid Executive Secretary and supportstaff was put in place to coordinate the work of the NCFC on adaily basis.

6. Providing national standards and guidelines

In Belize, the NCFC in collaboration with a number ofagencies has researched and published a Survey of Day CareCenters in Belize City, Burrell Boom and Ladyville, and anOperational Manual and Training Manual for Day CareProviders. In Jamaica, following a national survey of Day CareCentres undertaken by the Caribbean Child DevelopmentCentre with support from UNICEF, the Day Care Unit ofChildren's Services has drafted standards for the service whichare currently before Parliament.

7. Developing planning capacity in ECED

In Trinidad and Tobago, the Research, Planning andImplementation Division of the Ministry of SocialDevelopment has played a critical role in respect of policyformulation. This Division is trying to develop a focused andintegrated approach to addressing children's issues, andtrying to ensure that programmes promoting children's rightsare incorporated into national development strategies asintegral components. However, one of the constraints is thelimitations in respect of continuous statistical and otherdata to inform policy formulation and the lack of financial and

human resources allocated specifically for this purpose. InTrinidad and Tobago and in Belize, Family ServicesDivisions have been established to strengthen the government'scapabilities to make integrated interventions and to avoidduplication or collision of efforts across Ministries.

MAIN CONSIDERATIONS in taking forward legislationand planning in ECED

1. Legislation is expensive: consider a regional approach

In the Draft plan of action, legislation for children from birth toschool entry is proposed as a priority goal which enshrinestheir rights, and identifies clearly the responsibilities of theparent and the State in ensuring these rights. Some countrieshave tried to precede legislation, or to avoid its cost, bycreating national policy for children. The limitations in thisapproach come at implementation stage when policy lacks theauthority of law. In an area where so many different statutoryand non-statutory bodies are involved in service provision, it isvery difficult to ensure cooperation and convergence of effortsto serve the interests of the whole child, without themomentum and focused activity that legislation brings.However legislation is expensive, requiring considerablecommitments in human resource and consultative time inpreparation. Caribbean countries should consider workingtogether on the development of a regional model that can beappropriately adjusted at consultation stage in each individualcountry. If legislation incorporates the recommendations inthe regional plan, the main thrust will be to enable structuresand partnerships to emerge within a regulatory framework,forging links and establishing the basis on which funding canbe sought to first meet priority needs, and secondly to plan aprocess over time for the eventual universalisation of ECEDservices.

2. Make legislative links with other laws affecting youngchildren

A country's capacity to provide pre-school education isgenerally enabled by provisions within Education Acts whichallow for the extension of schooling to the years before formalschool entry on a non-statutory basis. Where these provisionsapply, a country can to the best of their financial and humancapacity provide pre-school education in nursery schools,basic schools or other free standing pre school centres, or innursery or kindergarten classes attached formally to primaryschools. New legislation should not seek to separate this powergranted under Education Acts, as it is solely an Educationpower, and frequently exercised by individual schools in thebest interests of providing a community service. However newlegislation should envision ECED arrangements from birth toschool entry which integrate all the elements of whole childdevelopment, shape the changes required in existing provisionto become integrated and empower new community provisionwhich can operate alongside. In this model, the new legislation

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will recognise the current diversity in services, and provide theregulatory framework for ensuring progress towardsintegrated education and development approaches to be usedthroughout in the best interest of individual children.

3. Make links with other laws affecting the social andeconomic climate

Consideration will need to be given in most Caribbeancountries to amendments to those laws and regulatoryprovisions which affect the capacity of parents to parenteffectively. What flexibility does employment legislationallow for employees to breastfeed at least until a baby's sixthmonth? Paid maternity leave is one option, flexible workingarrangements is another. What provisions exist for partnersupport of child care? Are there flexible employmentarrangements for parental leave during the pre-school yearsfor child illness and clinic attendance? These questions gobeyond the immediate concerns of employment andproductivity, to the rights and best interests of children, to thestatus of women in a society and to the social climate beingrecreated to enable men to participate as nurturing parents.

4. Develop planning capacity for very young children

The PROFILES Project in Jamaica serves as an interestingmodel for countries in the Region for developing planninginstruments and institutionalising a system of data collection,analysis, and use in planning for young children. The Projectwhich has completed its pilot stage is about to be funded by theIDB over the next three years until it is fully incorporated intothe process of Jamaica's planning for children.

The idea behind the PROFILES Project is that at about the ageof 6, at the time a child enters primary school, it would beuseful to collect data both as representative of the actualcollective status of children's development at this importantpoint of change in their lives, and as a baseline for looking atwhat happens to them in school. Since we recognise that thecauses for potential difficulty in school largely reside inenvironmental deficiencies rather than deficits existing withinthe child, the Project would serve equally to develop picturesof the learning environments in which children findthemselves. Thus children's development status can beunderstood in relation to and in interaction with their contextsfor learning.

In collecting data on the child's development at home from theparent, in a pre-primary setting from the teacher/caregiver,from the health centre from the nurse, and in the primary schoolfrom the teacher, and also data on the learning environments ofthe home, the pre-primary setting and the primary school, thePROFILES Project aims to achieve five main purposes forplanning for young children:

to enable a multi disciplinary approach to the planning ofinterventions

to provide national pictures to lead, focus and evaluatepolicyto identify groups of children with specific needsto support appropriate curriculum development and toolsto compare children's development, over time, in thespecific context of Jamaica.

The emergent data profiles will offer the potential for alongitudinal look at the effects of pre-primary provision, pre-primary to primary transition and primary schooling inJamaica. It also makes a dynamic link between the picturesemerging from data usually collected shortly after birth onhealth and nutrition status, then from the anthropometric datacollected on school entry and, later still, from the data collectedon achievement, repetition and drop out rates in primaryschooling and beyond. The PROFILES will begin to inform usas to the processes at work in a period of critical and rapiddevelopment for children and will indicate causal andunderlying factors in child development and developmentaloutcomes.

One of the most useful lessons from the PROFILES Project sofar has been in the combined used of quantitative andqualitative data collection methods. Despite the complexitiesinvolved in human communication and the labour intensivemethods of data collection from individual parents andteachers on a sample basis, the pictures which emerge give aricher basis on which to make interpretations and informedjudgments in planning. One of the recommendations of theDraft Plan of Action (Section 2) is for countries to ensure thatthey develop the capacity to plan, by identifying what theyneed to know and how they can be sure that their sources andmethods are accurate in obtaining information. This isparticularly important for all countries who are botheconomically constrained and struggling to alleviate if noteradicate poverty, for whom the questions as to who to targetand where to target are paramount.

5. Plan social and economic supports for ECEDinterventions

In all Caribbean countries, the urgency to address high levels ofpoverty has produced commitments and plans of action. Incommunities that are the most starkly affected by poverty, ithas proved almost impossible to construct sustainablesolutions for the development of young children through theprocess of creating single-focus ECED interventions. The DayCare Innovations in the 1970s and the gains in pre-schoolcoverage during the same period prior to structural adjustmentcould not be sustained as centrally funded service provisionsonce economies were re-tooled. For most countries in theRegion, the 80s decimated most existing ECED provisions andplans for expansion.

As a result of these experiences, ECED Interventions in thesecontexts of poverty cannot be seen ever again as interventionsseparate from strategies to create employment and training

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opportunities, to ensure safe water access and durable shelter,to build social institutions and common purposes which canresist social disintegration and violence, and to develop socialattitudes and values in relation to parenting and nurturingpractices amongst women and men.

In communities where political or social tensions make itdifficult to mobilise people for activities that will be to theirbenefit, children can provide a rallying point for actions whichpromote consensus and organisation for the common good.Both direct actions in support of ECED or indirect actions insupport of community improvements in health, sanitation,nutrition and social organisation that benefit children are alsolikely to benefit parents, families and the wider community.'5

The Draft Plan of Action (section 2) suggests importantstrategies and actions not only to build planning capacity, butalso to select priority areas in which to make interventions,interventions which seek to forge collaborative alliances andserve as models to inform national programmes ofinterventions. The phasing of activities suggested allows forcountries to make an immediate start on a small scale inselected communities, an important indication of intentionand commitment to 'get things right', whilst simultaneouslydeveloping data systems and poverty 'maps' to inform thedelivery of programme interventions over a longer andsustained period of time.

Whilst the critical problems arising from poverty and violencehave not (as yet) impacted with the same gravity on allCaribbean societies, the experience of those countries whereviolence overshadows every aspect of living in manycommunities has focused governments on the urgency to act.Recent research in Jamaice in five poor urban areas revealedcommunities which are dominated by fear and distrust andoften lack very basic forms of cooperation or communication.Community institutions were identified as playing a criticalrole either in maintaining the vicious cycle of poverty andviolence or, more positively, in breaking that cycle. The studyfindings highlighted the need for interventions to build not justhuman capital but also social capital. Ultimately this is acommunity, rather than a policing solution.

Community participants identified projects and programmesthat bring people together and build social capital as by far themost important concrete solutions to violence: programmessuch as community based activities, with a particularemphasis on youth activities, and safe centres for counselingto reduce violence and improve family and interpersonalcommunication. Work and training opportunities were anequally important second priority amongst all groupsinterviewed. The lesson for all countries in the Region who

may find this Jamaican picture uncomfortably close to home isthat diverse and focused interventions with communityinfrastructural supports, such as those identified in thisstudy, provide the necessary context for sustainable ECEDinterventions.

SECOND STEPS: what is being provided in the name ofECED?

In this section we look at a number of forms of provision forECED and the kinds of supportive environments needed tosustain provision. The most critical area of all is the localculture in which ECED is provided: what is the reality of theconditions and lifestyles in which children are born and raised?What is the climate of promotion for ECED provision? Whatstimulates demand for ECED provisions and what is it aboutECED provision that is particularly valued? Are theredifferent perceptions of the needs and outcomes for ECEDprovision, and if so, how do these effect what is provided in thename of ECED?

ECED provision is not simply a 'good thing', something thathas been sought for eagerly, and when provided, actuallyachieves almost naturally the most beneficial outcomes foryoung developing children. Countries such as Jamaica andTrinidad and Tobago have created substantial ECED servicesfor children three years and older, and in the case of Jamaicaenrolment now exceeds 80% of that age group in thepopulation. Yet critical questions in a recent evaluation ofJamaican basic school services arose about the quality of theprovision and suggested that the vast majority of the service isnot based on developmentally sound principles.' What hashappened and what are the implications for the future? If youwere to take a hard look at the experiences of young childrenin ECED provision with which you are familiar, are you surethat you would feel that their experiences were providing themwith an opportunity for beneficial development, let aloneoptimal development?

One of the main recommendations in the Draft Plan of Action(section 3) suggests an important starting point for all of us,whether or not our countries are substantial ECED providers oroperating only fledging services. We need a practical, wellinformed, communicative basis on which to develop services,in which understandings about the real conditions of youngchildren are shared between policy makers and providers. Inother countries of the world, a period of sensitisation ofpolicymakers has preceded the development of culturallyappropriate ECED services and initiatives at community level:one of the ways in which this has been done is to appointECED specialists in key governmental positions or todesignate an NGO or development agency to lead thesensitisation process.

"MYERS, R.G., (1995) Early childhood care and development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. IDB. Washington"MOSER and HOLLAND (1995) Urban poverty and violence in Jamaica. Preliminary finding of a study. World Bank, BDDC and UWI Centrefor Population, Communityand Development (later published in full 1996)17McDonald, K. (1996) Evaluation of Basic School Programmes for Ministry of Education, Revitalization Project. Bernard van Leer Foundation. Jamaica

r n.$


1. Grounding ECED provision in local cultures

Creating a common language on the priorities for ECED is byno means simple and the time needed to do it effectively cannotbe underestimated. Time needs to be spent examining thereasons why cultural forms and expectations have arisen indifferent societies and communities, and what this might meanfor how ECED provision is used. For example research intohow young males are socialised' undertaken in Dominica,Guyana and Jamaica, which has recently been followed up inSt. Lucia and Grenada indicates a high level of contradictionand confusion in child rearing practices which differentiatebetween boys and girls.

Research shows that traditional patterns of gender distinctionsare central to child rearing and are revealed in parents'preferences at birth, the division of domestic chores, thesanctioned leisure activities, the preferred social values/skills,how discipline is practiced, how emotions are exhibited, andhow children are prepared for sexuality. These patterns are inplace from a child's birth and affect development from thatpoint on. Daughters are protected for as long as possible, andeducation is seen as an extension of the protection provided inthe home, keeping them 'on track' and resisting the onset ofearly sexual experiences and resulting pregnancy. Howeversons are encouraged to become independent and acquire skillsthey will need for economic survival. The high drop out ratefrom primary schools of boys in the poorest quintiles inCaribbean societies bear testimony to the most important rolesthat await them beyond the yard and school (where the womenare), out on the streets, with the men. The research clearlydemonstrates that the underlying causes for these genderdistinctions lie in the wider economic and social spheres,survival needs structure the choices parents make from thebirth of their children, and the many voices of parents in theresearch echo the feeling of helplessness at the erosion of theirauthority in the face of the likely outcomes for their children.Thus countries need to have open channels of communicationbetween communities, policy makers and specialist agenciesto ensure that ECED initiatives are grounded in the actualrealities of young children.

2. Creating a climate of promotion of the value of ECED

How often do we have single issue campaigns that dominatepublic education for a specific time before dwindling away?Similarly, how many excellent initiatives have been taken onby existing education structures and absorbed as part of thecurriculum, and then become 'dead' study topics rather thanskills for living and surviving? How can we articulate theimportance of ECED at the levels where behaviours are likelyto be affected and especially promote attractive alternatives

for young boys and higher outcomes for young girls? Whatsteps can we take to involve the media in responsive andresponsible ways to assist ECED promotion, and how canparents help their children understand what they see currentlyand resist its replication in their own lives? In what settings andat what stages in life are young people most receptive tolearning about early childhood before they tumble intoparenthood? Questions such as these need to be kept in theforefront of activities undertaken to raise consciousnessabout ECED and then to sustain a climate of valuing ECEDprovisions.

The Jamaican Child to Child° programme, now integral tothe primary curriculum, was designed to improve the childdevelopment knowledge and caretaking practices of primaryschool children, ages 9-12, and through them, the knowledgeand practices of parents or guardians. Amongst the skillschildren learn are how to make toys and how to help youngerchildren play with them so as to encourage their development.The action oriented curriculum includes role play, groupdiscussions, demonstrations, drama and song, as well as toymaking. Major benefits to younger siblings, older siblings,parents, guardians and teachers themselves extended beyondthe scope of the Programme and into other areas, such as theimproved knowledge of health and development that teachersgained and their introduction to new forms of teaching.However it has proved difficult to sustain the vitality andbasis in community action of the approach as the Programmehas gone to scale. In the process, parts of the pilot wererewritten and topics were dispersed throughout the regularcurriculum so that the programme no longer retains its specificidentify. Moreover, the "Active learning" part of thecurriculum has been weakened, as has the initial training of theteachers in this methodology and the specific content of theChild to Child programme. However, not only does thisprogramme have beneficial developmental potential, it alsoprovides a model of practice. which is easily replicable and can`go to scale; however, the experience of the Child to Childprogramme is also that it is difficult to sustain the mostimportant elements of the programme - its activity basedlearning methodologies and its specific focus in seeking toassist younger siblings and their families.

MAIN CONSIDERATIONS in taking forward provisionfor ECED

1. Support and raise consciousness about ECED inparents of newborn children

Having reviewed provisions for ECED and the value placed onthem in our societies, countries are asked in the Draft Plan ofAction (section 5) to devise strategies for support to parents

'8BROWN, Jet al (1995) and (1997) Gender Socialisation Project Reports Caribbean Child Development Centre, University of the West Indies,Mona, Jamaica'9WRIGHT and GRANTHAM-McGREGOR (1985) Using Primary School Children to Improve Child Rearing Practices in Rural Jamaica Child:Care, Health and Development, No. 11, pp95-113

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and children in the year after a child's birth. One suggestionis to campaign on the value of extending mother childinteraction in the first few months of life and on thenutritional and other benefits of breastfeeding to the youngchild; this is set of course in the context of providing theprimarily economic support structures parents need to devotethe time required. Parents cannot be expected to valuebreastfeeding their babies over and above the necessity formothers to earn the family income. This is a critical area forthe construction of social partnerships in support of flexiblearrangements for parents, the implementation cost of which(either as payments or as temporary loss of productivity)should be shared between employer and State.

2. Start ECED interventions in the first year of life formaximum benefit to the child

Programmes which integrate home visiting, child developmentsupport and parent education interventions in areas of extremepoverty have been successful in the Caribbean and elsewherein the world (notably Turkey) if they have sustained highquality in each area of intervention. The evaluation of theprogramme in Turkey demonstrated that the impact of theimproved parenting skills was still measurably strong when thesubjects were found ten years later measures such as higherparticipation of the father in family life, higher gradeachievement and better school performance of the students.2°The implications for developing strategies are that each part ofthe programme needs to be in place, the approach needs to beintegrated and the supports offered must be of high quality.Programmes which have not taken such an integrated approachcannot generate sustained benefits to parents for futurechildren, or to children for future development.

What is important is the dynamic between the programmeelements. Many community health services in the Regiondeveloped home visiting and parent education programmes inthe 1970s. Many of these have suffered from the samedecimating forces as Day Care in the 1980s. However, modelsdeveloped subsequently elsewhere in the world have proved tobe more sustainable in a combined use of trained professionals,para professionals and parents working at community level.Critically the cost benefit is greatest when the supportingenvironment has been addressed: the initiatives to alleviatepoverty, to provide training and employment opportunities, tobuild social organisations and to promote a climate of valuingECED supports mentioned in the sections above.

As you will see from an accompanying paper to thisconference, Why do children of the Caribbean needprogrammes of Early Childhood Education and Development?,there are very strong scientific, human rights, social, moral,economic, programme efficacy, social equity and politicalarguments for starting ECED programme interventions in thefirst year of a child's life. There are arguments which are justas strong for ensuring that parents have the knowledge andthe skills to use, organise and benefit from such programmes.

For parents, access to the knowledge they require at this stage,and the understanding of their role as primary facilitators andintermediaries in the education of their children will serve tostrengthen their parenting in future years. One if the mostmisleading impressions parents can be given is thateducation is primarily the function of the school, and is afundamentally mysterious process that only teachers properlyunderstand. It is amazing how pervasive this view of theteacher is in the Caribbean today, given the rates ofunderachievement and drop out, and how reflective this view iscf parents' own lack of confidence in themselves aseducators rather than any realistic view of what miracles ateacher can perform in (apparent) isolation from theprofoundly influential impact on the child of family,community and the wider society.

3. Sustain ECED supports to the child and family in theyears before preschool

The Draft plan of action suggests specific strategies and actionto build on the ECED interventions in a child's first year of life,and specifically addresses the need for early childhood/childcare centres offering high quality and accessible servicesto parents, particularly those who need the support in order towork. However, it is clear from experience across developingand developed countries that high quality formal programmesof this nature are expensive (in staff/child ratios particularly)and are not always used to capacity if not established to meetfamily needs for accessible hours of operation andaffordability, and to meet cultural expectations of learningoutcomes (especially as regards preparation for formalschooling).

Day Care provision as we generally recognise it in this Regionis understaffed by any standard of minimal quality provision inthe developed world. However, it is a presumption to begin adebate about quality in our provisions without first addressingthe seriousness of the lack of human resources, trained andapprentice, paid and volunteer. Our staff/child ratios would beconsidered dangerous in inner city London or New York andthe provision deregistered if not immediately improved.

In too many of our settings, day care providers first andforemost are helping parents survive; a second priority isto assist children to develop. How many parents privatelypray just that their children will be kept safely (and fed) untilthey return? In times of little choice within a price range andlimited opening times, how many parents expect anythingmore of a developmental nature? How vital it is to offer parentssupport and sufficient knowledge to complement the deficits inthe present day care provisions that their children attend!

Home based day care provides a cheaper, informal service toparents, with considerable benefits in higher ratios and greatercommunication between parents and providers. In somedeveloped countries, the systems for support, licensing,training and standardising home based day care providers for

20KAGITC1BAS1, BEKMAN and GOSKEL (1195) Amulti purpose model of non formal education in Coordinators Notebook # 18. TheConsultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development, New York

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the needs of children before pre-school age has been givenhigher priority over the development of day care servicesbecause of the greater potential for affordable and accessiblearrangements, closer interaction between parent and provider,provider and child, smaller family and community context andcloser cultural links. However the combination ofinvestments in support, regulation and training is vital toachieve a minimal level of quality in home based care, andproviders themselves generally see the investment as one withlimited personal returns beyond a few years of operating.Home based day carers benefit from the support and trainingreceived and often move on to other areas of social welfarework, a process which creates a structural need to live withhigh turnover and to build budget capacity to address it.

What is clear for all children in poverty, and particularly forthose whose parents are working, is that the services which areused to care for them need to provide both their educational anddevelopmental needs. It is for us to consider if we are able todo this better formally or informally, in centres or in homebased care, in a number of different ways according to localvariations or through a standard model or policy arrangement.What we also have to consider is how we support, train,monitor and regulate providers, and how we identify indicatorsof minimal quality below which provision will not be licensed.For those of you who have looked at the exercise on DefiningHigh Quality Provision written for this conference, you willsee that any provision that cannot meet a minimal level ofquality will discourage if not arrest a child's development, andin that scenario, we have to be able to ask ourselves why we arecontinuing to allow it to be provided any longer.

4. Prioritise quality improvements in pre-school services

There are many contributions being made at this conferenceaddressing experiences in pre-school settings, and the supportsboth within and surrounding pre-school services whichconstrain or enable them to develop quality. One of thegreatest constraining factors is the same as that found in daycare services: thesheer scale of the human resource needs inthe service from specialised training, to ongoing supervisionand direction, to ensuring the appropriate age related staff childratios in order to function in the interests of child development,again to a minimal level. How many teachers in Caribbeanpreschool settings are able to answer a unreserved "YES" to thetwo questions devised by Lilian Katz and included in the noteon defining quality:

"Are working conditions adequate to encourage me to enhancemy knowledge, skills and career commitment?'"Àm I usuallytreated with respect and understanding?"

The strategies for supporting quality improvements ofnecessity rely on social partnerships which are caught up ina classic "Catch 22" situation:

* Training of staff needs clarity of competencies andaccreditation procedures to meet service standards,and needs positive staff child ratios in order to puttraining to good effect;

Staff child ratios rely on resource commitmentsfrom funding providers such as parent's fees,government subsidies, income generation activitiesand sponsorship from the private sector;

funding providers rely on returns for their moneyin terms of human productivity (higher levels ofeducation in the workforce of the future, greaterreliability of parents in the workforce today);reduction in health costs because a preventivemeasure is in place; reduction of inefficiency in theschool system by reducing repetition, drop out andremedial programmes; social stability (reduction ofcosts related to social welfare and crime); andresulting savings which can be reinvested.

returns on the investment in pre-school servicesrely on the sustainability of well managed, qualityprovision;

well managed quality provision relies on thereinvestment of returns in order that teachers can betrained and will in turn

It is within this context that individual countries need toanalyse their coverage of the preschool population, in the oneto two years leading up to primary school entrance. In settinggoals for coverage (three and four year olds living in poverty;full time access for all children in need by the year 2000 etc.) itis critical for child development and sustainability of theECED service offered that countries do not lose sight of thequality equation. The lessons of preschool evaluations inTrinidad and Tobago (described later today) and in Jamaicasuggest that it is best not to start ECED provision until localmodels have been developed and evaluated, and until theprocess of 'going to scale' can be managed effectively toensure the full development potential of the service beingoffered to children.

The Draft Plan of Action (section 7) offers key goals andstrategies for addressing the need to promote children'slearning and development in preschool settings. Everyelement is important in securing the development ofchildren:

pedagogical guidelines for staff based on a validatedcurriculum,

partnership with parents to ensure common

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understandings and purposes in the defining anddelivery of quality services,training towards competencies and accreditation forstaff,lay inspection and advisory services to ensurecommunity feedback to providers and government,development of physical plant resources to maximisevariety in learning experiences for whole childdevelopment, andensuring staff child ratios promote development ratherthan being the main obstacle in its way.

At the heart of a successful curriculum for children are thecomplementary approaches of child centred learning andthe forging of communicative partnerships with parents.We cannot get it right in preschool settings if these two goals arenot constantly guiding practice. In each preschool setting thesegoals need to be defined, their meanings for strategiesdeveloped, and implementing activities articulated and sharedbetween parents and staff. Strategies for keeping these goals inthe forefront of the development of services are also essential.We must ask ourselves:

How successful in terms of developmental outcomesfor children is the service's implementations of childcentred methodologies?How far have we integrated psycho-social aspects intothe curriculum?How informed and 'connected' are individual parents,despite their limited availability because of work, andthe multiple hardships in their lives?Are we in fact insisting that they come and participate?And are we facilitating that participation?How sure can we be that we have found effective waysof reporting back to parents and involving them in jointplanning with us for the development of their child?Are we sure that our service ensures development ofchildren at least to a minimum level, and isprogressing to a higher level framed by the realisticgoals for our context and our times?If not, why are we doing it this way at all?

THIRD STEPS: how is ECED being supported and sustained?

1. Taking an integrated approach to ECED

You will hear discussion at this conference about the ways inwhich services and supports need to be integrated in order toensure the child's integrated development. Integration is theprocess which maximises the potential for social partnerships insupport of ECED development at the national level, underliesthe framework for public and parent education initiatives andreflects most accurately the rhythms of how very young children

learn and develop. Development of the very young child doesnot proceed smoothly through subjects or areas or stages; itworks on all planes at once. Children are at all times vulnerableto the absence of climates of safety, security, affection andacceptance, and responsive to positive interactions with adultsand children in environments which allow them choices andstructured learning. The Draft Plan of Action identifiesintegration goals at the levels of the family of the young child,of the local services provided in ECED, and of themanagement at national level of the processes of capacitybuilding, streamlining of government functions, investment (inservice quality, expansion and planning) and transition toprimary school.

A critical issue is how the integration 'tone' is set. As you willsee in other papers at the conference, integration is not a state orend point; rather it is a continuing and dynamic process inworking arrangements. At the level of service management, ithas been interpreted in a range of developing countries to meancooperation between governments and agencies, coordinationof service and supports at local level, and/or convergence ofresponsibilities under single management. As the Draft Plan ofAction summarises, practical experience has demonstrated thepower and effectiveness of integration within a singleMinistry (with responsibility for all ECED services) wherethere is designated (and additional) capacity and strongpolitical support. In the absence of these elements, cooperationhas proved to be slower but less challenging to the existing orderif that is a priority consideration. What is significant in theexperiences cited by Bob Myers2' is that whatever approachtaken at national level, it is important for effective integration atcommunity level that all the elements (preventive health care,ECED provision, structural, social and economic supports) arecombined with a devolution of decision making power togenerate community participation and ownership.

2. Designating budgets and planning investments forECED

Country representatives attending the Belize Conference wereprovided with a clear analysis of the relationship between thedevelopment of their national budgets and their capacity forproviding for their obligations under the Convention on theRights of the Child (UNICEF CAO, 1996: Annex 7). The verygrave situation in which families of young children findthemselves sharpens the urgency for ECED supports: in muchof the English speaking Caribbean, one in three children isliving in poverty. Although traditionally child rearing has beena role ascribed to one gender in the home context, increasinglyit is women who head 30-40% of the region's households andwhose participation in the labour force steadily increases.Where women are not able to get employment, their ability tomaintain their means of existence and that of their children is imperiled.

21MYERS, R.G., (1996) Early childhood care and development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. IDB, Washington


The circle in which poor children find themselves is a viciousone. Children from poor families often fall quickly andprogressively behind their more advantaged peers in theirreadiness for school and life, and that gap is never closed. In fact,there is strong evidence throughout the region that budgetplanning has tended to foster this increasing divide betweenthe rich and the poor by targeting greater resource allocationsin the tertiary and secondary sectors, and within those sectors, inthe more academic and in the privately run institutions (wherethere is an almost total absence of young males and a tinyminority of females from the poorest fifth of the society).Governments have been urged to commit to the 20:20 principlewhereby Basic Social Services (for human development) arejointly funded on a basis of a minimum designation of 20% ofgovernment budget and 20% of development assistance fromdonor countries. Governments need to keep adequateexpenditure records to allow for the kind of budget analysisthat illuminates the basis on which the 20:20 compact can work.Without a rigorous budget review process, andcomplementary effective targeting of resources,governments will not be able to plan equitable distribution ofresources to ensure equality of access to ECED supports forthose who need them most.

In the Draft Plan of Action, and in the accompanying paper onthe rationale for ECED programmes, the basis for investmentin ECED supports and services is shown to be in the futurepay off. The pay off has been estimated to be three to four foldin the developing world, and as much as seven-fold amongstpoor populations in the developed world. In the Highscope/Perry Preschool longitudinal study in the USA, the test groupand control groups (from disadvantaged black preschools) wereinterviewed at 27 years old. With corroborating independentdata the study revealed that the experimental group had 1/5 to 1/3 the arrests of the control group, received less welfareassistance in their adult lives, had higher school achievementand literacy scores, had 1/3 more numbers graduate from highschool, made more long-lasting marriages, had fewer out ofwedlock births and displayed greater social responsibilities.Not only does the child experience long term benefits; ECEDprogrammes enable immediate economic benefits inincreasing labour force participation by women, and freeingolder siblings to go to school or to get a job.

Governments need to review their ECED budget allocations,streamline budgets so as to eliminate duplication and waste (thisis one of the stronger arguments for integration at national level)and establish an equitable basis on which to fund existingprovisions and to attract new funds for improving andexpanding coverage as targeted. In the conference tomorrow apaper will be presented that develops this process further.

3. Monitoring, evaluating and training for quality inECED

Throughout this paper the systems needs for monitoring,evaluation and training have been emphasised asintegral to the

processes recommended legislation, planning, targeting thepoor, public and parenting education, ECED provisions andsupports, integration approaches and budget allocations.Governments need to establish embryonic monitoring systemswhere none currently exist, or refocus those that do but which donot lend themselves to disaggregation of ECED statistics.These then must by underpinned with baseline recordingprocedures at the level of provider and community, and 'thinktank' capacity for ongoing research and evaluation at policylevel. This is an area where a regional approach would reduce in-country expenditure on system design and would serve to attractregional donor funding for priorities arising from the productionof data on both country and regional trends.

Training occupies the considerations of a number of papers andworkshop contributions at this conference, and this contributionserves mainly to emphasise the need for an overarching andcoherent system of training, which incorporates developmentof validated curricula, competency and accreditation procedures,in-service and pre-service models using workplace and distancelearning techniques, and which identifies accessible progressionroutes between each level. Such a system would benefit frombeing established at a regional level to standardise andstreamline the expense of accreditation and qualificationprocedures, and also supported at the national level in theprovision of diverse curricula to meet local conditions andcultural expectations. One of the strategies suggested in theDraft Plan of Action is for the construction of a training routethat connects the first base community parent educationtraining with ECED competency training, followed by accessinto teacher and ECED leadership training. In an equitablesystem, each participating 'carer' or 'educator' of youngchildren should be able to opt for training and knowledgeacquisition which can access him or her to the highest levels ofECED training outcomes if so desired and enabled.

In conclusion: the main considerations for sustainingsupport to ECED

This paper is a contribution to work in progress in the region,work that will be complemented by the compilation of country`pictures' giving both quantitative and qualitative assessmentsof the state of ECED supports and provisions in your countries,and progressed by the recommendations which will flow fromthis conference and which will form the basis of both regionallevel cooperation and country level planning in the Draft Plan ofAction. In each area that we have identified there is a need toidentify or create the means whereby ECED ceases to be amarginal and optional endeavour of a few in a society, andbecomes part of the normal lifeblood and cultural expectationsof families and communities in every country in the region. Asthe participant at the Belize conference reminds us, the care andprotection of children is everybody's business; in this regionwe think that we can create a balanced strategy of regionalcooperation and national activity, which will both harnessnecessary supports and empower local capacities to takeforward ECED initiatives in the interests of the rights of eachchild from birth.

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OTHER SOURCE MATERIAL

BARNETT, W.S. (1996) Costs and financing of ECDprograms. World Bank (Atlanta Conference, April 8-9),Washington

CARIBBEAN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, ProfilesProject documents. Kingston, Jamaica

CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON EARLY CHILDHOODCARE AND DEVELOPMENT (1993) Meeting basic learn-ing needs through programs of ECCD. The Education for AllForum: The second meeting, New Delhi, India. September8-9.

CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON EARLY CHILDHOODCARE AND DEVELOPMENT (1996). The Coordinators'Notebook #18 on Quality and #17 on Policy

Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimina-tion against Women, UNICEF/UNIFEM. New York

Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF, New York

HIGH/SCOPE Educational Research Foundation (1964/1992)Study of 123 African Americans born in poverty

HIGH/SCOPE Educational Research Foundation (1995) TheTrinidad and Tobago EC Survey. Ministry of Education,Trinidad and Tobago

KAJECKAS, M.A. Headstart and the Special SupplementalNutrition Program for Women. Infants and Children: Howthey work and the lessons they hold for developing countries.World Bank, HCO Working Papers, Washington

MYERS, R.G. (1992) The Twelve Who Survive: Strengtheningprogrammes of early childhood development in the third world.Routledge, London.

MYERS, R.G. (1997) Policymaking and ECCD. Discussion paperfor meeting of CGECCD, Kingston, Jamaica, February 10-12.

SANTIAGO ACCORD (1996) Third Meeting on Childrenand Social Policy in the Americas, Santiago, Chile,August 8-9

112

SCHWEINHART, L.J. (1995) Elements of EC programquality in developing countries. HIGH/SCOPE for WorldBank, Washington

SIRAJ-BLATCHFORD, I. (1996) Research and evaluation:its impact on public policies for early childhood education.Paper presented at the IV Latin American Symposium onResearch and Evaluation on Integrated DevelopmentProgrammes for Children 0-6 years old. Brasilia.

UNICEF CAO (May 1995) The Economics of Child Povertyin Jamaica

UNICEF (1996) Policy Documents. Regional Perspective,ROLAC, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia

UNICEF CAO (1996) Draft Sub Regional Summary of the1996 Situation Analyses of Children and their Families inAntigua and Barbuda. Dominica. Grenada. St. Kitts-Nevis,St. Lucia. St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bridgetown,Barbados.

UNICEF CAO (1996) The Report on the Caribbean Confer-ence on the Rights of the Child. Bridgetown, Barbados

UNICEF CAO (1997) The Draft Plan of Action for ECED inCaribbean Countries. Bridgetown, Barbados

UNICEF CAO (1997) Why do children in the Caribbean needprogrammes of Early Childhood Education andDevelopment? Bridgetown, Barbados

UNICEF CAO (1997) Defining high quality ECEDprovision. A note and an exercise. Bridgetown, Barbados.

UNICEF Jamaica (1993) Evaluation of Day Care Services inJamaica. CCDC, Kingston, Jamaica

VAN DER GAAG, J. (1996) Early Childhood Development,Investing in the Future, World Bank, Washington

WILSON, S. (1995) ECD Programs: lessons fromdeveloping countries. CIDA/World Bank, Washington


LIST OF CONFERENCE DOCUMENTS

SOME OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS CAN BE ACCESSED

FROM UNICEF CARIBBEAN AREA OFFICE HOMEPAGE :

HTTP://VVVVVV. CARIB SURF .COM/UNICEF

1. Caribbean Plan of Action for Early Childhood Education,Care and Development, 1997-2002

2. Situation Analysis of Early Childhood Care andDevelopment in the Caribbean by Caribbean ChildDevelopment Centre, University of the West Indies,Jamaica

3. Early Childhood: An Assessment of the Situation in theEnglish-Speaking Caribbean and Suriname by KeridaMcDonald

4. Improving Quality Education in Early ChildhoodDevelopment - Curriculum Development: Processes andProducts for Empowerment by Dr Megan Goodridge

5. A Case for Strengthening Government Investment in ECDby Mr Fabio Sabatini

6. Parent Volunteer Support Programme: Home, School andCommunity Partnership in Early Childhood Education inBarbados by Dr Megan Goodridge

7. The Project Approach: A Second Practical Guide forTeachers by Sylvia C. Chard

8. Young Children's Social Development: A checklist by MsDiane E. McClellan and Dr Lilian Katz

9. Staff Development for School Improvement by MsBarbara A.E. Parris

10. Profile of Community Outreach ECED Interventions byDr Kerida McDonald, Janet Brown, Sonia Ebanks, LilianFerrier

11. Mathematical Experiences at Home and School: TheImportance of Home-School Communication in THEEarly Years by Marguerite C. Gustave

Appendix V

12. Creative Dance and Movement in THE Early ChildhoodEducation Programme by Donna E. Hunte-Cox

13. I've Got THE Music in Me by June Graham

14. Early Identification of Possible Developmental Delays by

15. The Gifted and Talented Definitions by Edward L. Meyers

16. Setting The Pace for Life Long Learning by CassieLanders

17. Quality Infant/Toddler Programmes by Sharon Marriott

18. On The Way to Better Educational Opportunities inPrimary Education in Suriname by Dr. Cynthia Ringeling

19. Teaching Students Cooperative Skills

20. All about Animals by M. Blanchette

21. Whole Classroom Readiness and Activities (TeacherCreated Materials, Inc.)

22. An Anthology of Speech Training Rhymes

23. The Assessment of Literacy Outcomes in Early ChildhoodEducation by Dr. Desmond Clarke

24. The Status of ECCE Provision in Trinidad and Tobago byCarol Logie

25. Assisting Young Children in THE Development of OralLanguage Skills by Catherine Blackman

26. The Supporting Environment for The Delivery of ECE byRose Davies

27. Assessing the Development of Pre-Schoolers byLilian G. Katz

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LIST OF CONFERENCE DELEGATES

Ms. Rhonda R. ConnorEducation DepartmentThe ValleyAnguillaTel: 809-497-5403Fax: 809-497-2908

Mrs. Hyacinth HughesEducation DepartmentThe ValleyAnguillaTel: 809-497-2874Fax: 809-497 2908

Ms. Londrina HughesBethel Methodist Pre-SchoolSouth HillAnguillaTel: 809-497-2612

Ms. Brenda JarvisE.0 SupervisorMin. of Edu, Culture Sports & Youth AffairsSt. John'sAntigua and BarbudaTel: 268-462-4959Fax: 268-462-4970

Ms. Catherine MatthewE.0 SupervisorMinistry of Edu., Culture Sports & Youth AffairsSt. John'sTel: 268-462-4959Fax: 268-462-4970Antigua and Barbuda

Ms. Beverley AlleyneElsie Payne ComplexMinistry of EducationBridgetown(Home Address)ClaphamChrist ChurchBarbados

Ms. Golda AlleyneBarbados

Ms. Wendy AntrobusNCPTABarbados

Ms. Mary ArcherSt. James Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 432-1341 (w)Tel: (246) 422-3149

Ms. Sonia ArthurEden Lodge Nursery SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 425-1049 (w)Tel: (246) 422-2001 (h)

Ms. Shelley AshbyPresident - ECEABSt. James Primary SchoolTrent's, St. JamesBarbadosTel: (246) 427-4874

Ms. Sandra AtwellNCPTABarbadosTel: (246) 423-9530 (h)

Ms. Beverley BannisterParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Jennifer BarkerSt. Mary's Primary SchoolMason Hall Street, St. Michael,BarbadosTel: (246) 426-5398

Ms. Grace BarnesGordon Greenidge PrimaryUpr Rock Dundo, St. JamesBarbadosTel: (246) 422-2218 (w)Tel: (246) 426-6570 (h)

Ms. Martine BartonSt. Jude's Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 433-1545 (w)Tel: (246) 433-2008 (h)

Mrs. Esme BascombeSecretary, ECEAB#22 Rock Dundo, Cave HillSt. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 424-3439 (h)

114

Appendix VI

Ms. Megan BastonGovernment Hill Nursery SchoolGovernment Hill, St. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 426-4223 (w)Tel: (246) 435-4324 (h)

Ms. Gwenth Batson-HardingNCPTABarbadosTel: (246) 423-1466 (h)

Ms. Millicent BelgraveSt. Alban's Infants SchoolLwr. Carlton, St. JamesBarbadosTel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 428-7504 (h)

Mrs. Myrna BelgravePresenterSt. Winifred SchoolPine, St. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 429-3661(h)

Ms. Brenda BendSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBlack Rock, St. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 420-1565 (h)

Ms. Joy BestPeople's Cathedral Primary SchoolBishop Court's HillSt. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 429-2145Fax: (246) 429-4707

Mrs. Joyce BestChrist Church Girl's SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 428-8030 (w)Tel: (246) 428-8431 (h)

Ms. Maxine Best-TrammelChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 426-2577 (w)

(Second Caribbean Conference on Carly Childhood 6ducalion (Summary %pod

Mr. Brent BlackettSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBlack Rock, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260Tel: (246) 421-7172

Mrs. Catherine BlackmanPresenterMinistry of EducationElsie Payne ComplexConstitution Rd., St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-3272Fax: (246) 436-2411

Ms. Rhonda BlackmanSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBlack Rock, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-0759 (h)

Mrs. Margaret Blanchette36 Highgate GardensSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-7489 (h)

Mrs. Rhonda Bryan-HutsonPAREDOS4th Avenue WelchesSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-0212Tel: (246) 427-2777

Mrs. Colleen Winter-BrathwaiteUNESCORepresentativeNo. 7 Garrison, P.O. Box 423BridgetownBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-4711Tel: (246) 427-4776Fax: (246) 436-0094

Ms. Marion BluntSt. Giles Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-0173 (w)Tel: (246) 427-7882 (h)

Ms. Andrea BourneBourne's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-2295Tel: (246) 422-6231 (w)Tel: (246) 424-7361 (h)

Ms. Sandra BoxillGrazettes Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1177 (w)Tel: (246) 437-5059 (h)

Mrs. Cynthia BoyceSt. James Primary SchoolTrents, St. James,Barbados

Tel: (246) 432-1341 (w)Tel: (246) 422-5402 (h)

Ms. Nicole BoyceNCPTALwr. Rock Dundo, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-1549 (h)

Ms. Pauline BradshawNCPTABissex H/Area, St. JosephBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-9884 (h)

Ms. Maureen BranchBlack Rock, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 436-7384 (h)

Mrs. Yvonne BranchSchool for the Deaf & BlindBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-2631 (w)Tel: (246) 423-6830 (h)

Ms. Joan BrewsterRapporteurEden Lodge Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1049 (w)Tel: (246) 424-7434 (h)

Ms. Sylvia BridgemanGovernment Hill Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-4223 (w)Tel: (246) 424-4836 (h)

Ms. Lorna BriggsWorkman's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-0071 (w)Tel: (246) 424-4836 (h)

Ms. Angela BromeSt. Alban's Infants SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 439-8977 (h)

Mr. Selwyn BrooksPresident NCPTAPrior ParkSt. JamesBarbados

Tel: (246) 424-7281 (h)

Ms. Lorna BurkeSt. John's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1665 (w)Tel: (246) 433-1972 (h)

Ms. Audrey BurrowesRapporteurFoundation GirlsBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-9323

Ms. Lorna BynoeL.T. Gay Memorial SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1083 (w)Tel: (246) 424-4607 (w)Tel: (246) 436-9522 (h)

Ms. Maureen Cadogan-WardSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBlack Rock, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 439-6714 (h)

Ms. Gale CampbellNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 422-9711 (h)

Ms. Deborah Carrington-DrakesNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 422-9822 (h)

Mrs. Georgina CarterAll Saints Girls SchoolBarbados

86


Ms. Yvette CarterNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 422-0750Mrs. Marcel le Cat lingAlexandra Secondary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 422-2265(w)Tel: (246) 433-4235 (h)Fax: (246) 422-5218

Ms. Angela ChaplainWilkie Cumbertbatch Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-4511 (w)Tel: (246) 431-9604 (w)Tel: (246) 428-9705 (h)

Mrs. Norma CheesmanSharon Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-0167 (w)Tel: (246) 425-4261 (w)Tel: (246) 422-0804 (h)

Ms. Kathryn ChatawanParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Dr. Desmond ClarkePresenterLecturer, Faculty of EducationUWI, Cave Hill CampusBarbadosTel: (246) 417-4000 (w)Tel: (246) 424-5410 (h)Fax: (246) 425-1327Tel: (246) 417-4425 School of Edu.

Ms. Hazel. M. ClarkeSt. Cyprian's Prep Boys SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 437-1454

Mrs. Margreta ClarkeVice President ECEABErdiston Teachers CollegeBarbadosTel: (246) 429-3620 (w)Tel: (246) 424-4043 (h)

Mrs. Wavanie ClarkeIgnatius Byer Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 439-8875 (w)Tel: (246) 439-8145 (h)

Ms. Sheila CodringtonSt. Mary's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-5398 (w)Tel: (246) 424-6640 (h)

Ms. Keila CollinsSt. Jude's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 423-6495 (w)Tel: (246) 433-1545 (w)

Ms. Irvone CollymoreSt. Alban's Infants ScholLwr. Calton, St. JamesBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 439-6103

Ms. Beverley CorbinChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBabados

Tel: (246) 426-2577 (w)Tel: (246) 438-6653 (h)

Mr. Clevon CorbinBarbados

Ms. Lisa CorbinChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2577 (w)Tel: (246) 429-0065 (h)

Mrs. Clytie CosseySt. Catherine Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 423-6115 (w)Tel: (246) 435-5200 (h)

Ms. Kathy Ann ConParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Joan CrawfordPresenterChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2577 (w)Tel: (246) 420-8169 (h)

Ms. Maureen CrawfordChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2577 (w)Tel: (246) 427-1837 (h)Mrs. Wyalanda Crawford

Eden Lodge Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1192 (w)Tel: (246) 424-8210 (h)

Ms. Ruth CumberbatchEden Lodge Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1049

Mrs. Wilma CumberbatchParent Support Programme NCPTABarbados

Ms. Betty DorantLuther Thorne Primary SchoolPine, Wildey, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 436-0811 (w)Tel: (246) 420-9020 (h)

Mr. Desmond DurantPresenterProject OfficerHuman Resources DevelopmentUnitCaribbean Development BankBarbados

Tel: (246) 431-1600

Ms. Diana DottinBay Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 436-6073 (w)Tel: (246) 435-0586 (h)

Mrs. Jacqueline DowneyNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 438-6596

Mrs. Angela Dowridge-BrowneChrist Church Girl's SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-8030 (w)Tel: (246) 420-2733 (h)


Mrs. Angela DoyleWesley Hall Infants SchoolKings StreetBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3813 (w)Tel: (246) 427-2093 (h)

Mrs. Eugene EastmondGordon Greenidge Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2218 (w)Tel: (246) 422-3560 (h)

Ms. Merlene Edwards25 Pegwell Park, PegwellChrist ChurchBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-3790

Dr. Patricia EllisPat Ellis Associates Inc.15 Sanford, St. PhilipBarbados

Tel: (246) 423-8115

Ms. Ingrid ErmayNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1291

Mrs. Elsa EvelynSt. Gabriel's SchoolHenry's Lane, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 436-6078 (w)Tel: (246) 424-2057 (h)

Mr. Matthew FarleySt. Mary's Primary SchoolMason Hall Street, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-5398Tel/Fax: (246) 420-9051

Ms. Sandra FieldSunbeam Montesorri SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-8016

Ms. Ernesta FordeParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Fay FordePRO - ECEABSociety Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1832 (w)Tel: (246) 423-4013 (h)

Ms. Ailene GarnerGovernment Hill Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-4223 (w)Tel: (246) 433-8509 (h)

Ms. Yvette GaskinNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 437-4150

Mr. Oliver GibbsSt. Alban's Junior SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2216 (w)

Ms. Cheryl GittensChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2577 (w)Tel: (246) 428-2047 (h)

Ms. Margaret GittensChildren's Development CentreBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2733 (h)

Ms. Lucille GoddardAsst. Sec./Treasurer ECEABErdiston Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-384 0(w)Tel: (246) 428-8724 (h)

Ms. Patricia GoodingErdiston Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3840 (w)Tel: (246) 423-5383 (h)

St. Mathews Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3812 (w)Tel: (246) 429-0450 (h)

Ms. Judith GambleSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBlack Rock, St. MichaelBarbados

Ms. Barbara GoodridgeAl8 Graeme Hall ParkChrist ChurchBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3403 (h)

1 .11_I -

Ms. Marguerita GoodridgeChrist Church Girls' SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-8030 (w)Tel: (246) 420-4169 (h)

Dr. Megan GoodridgePresenterSpec. Proj. OfficerMinistry of EducationElsie Payne ComplexConstitution Rd., St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-3272 (w)Fax: (246) 436-2411 (w)

Mrs. Pearl GoodridgeBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-0870 (w)Tel: (246) 427-5181 (h)

Mr. Herman GrantChief Development Officer-HRDUCaribbean Development BankWildey, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 431-1600Email: [email protected]

Mrs. June GrahamPresenterErdiston NurseryBarbados

Tel: (246)-429-3840 (W)Tel: (246) 428-6593 (H)

Ms. Pauline FranklinTel: (246) 429-3840 (w)Tel: (246) 428-6593 (h)

Ms. Shirley GreenNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 433-3915 (h)

Mrs. Joyce GreeneSt. Jude's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-6625 (w)

Mrs. Marva GriffithHoly Innocents Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-6625 (w)Tel: (246) 425-4240

(58

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education (Summary 9?eport

Ms. Sherry] GriffithRoland Edwards Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2873 (w)Tel: (246) 422-5403 (h)

Ms. Wendy Griffith-WatsonChief Education OfficerMinistry of EducationElsie Payne ComplexConstitution Rd., St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 430-2709Fax: (246) 436-2411

Ms. Roslyn GrosvenorMount Tabor Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1747 (w)Tel: (246) 422-1438 (h)

Ms. Margaret HallGordon Greenidge Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2218 (w)Tel: (246) 438-2671 (h)

Ms. Kim HampdenIgnatius Byer Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 439-8875 (w)Tel: (246) 422-2500 (h)

Ms. Gweneth HardingParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Reba HarewoodCarrington's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2358 (w)Tel: (246) 435-4090 (h)

Ms. Judith HarrisSt. Luke's-Brighton Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-2537 (w)Tel: (246) 429-1533 (h)Mr. Neville Heallis

Headstart Nursery SchoolBldg. 6, 9th Avenue BellevilleSt. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 436-2529 (w)Tel: (246) 436-2529 (h)

Mrs. Anne HewittPresenterBarbados Shipping & Trading Co. Ltd.Barbados

Tel: (246) 426-1754

Mr. Grenville HindsSt. Alban's Infants' SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 422-8926 (h)

Ms. Vanita HindsChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 426-2577 (w)Tel: (246) 439-9421 (h)

Mrs. Gemiel HinksonSt. Matthias Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 427-1072

Ms. Barbara HolliganRowans Park, St. GeorgeBarbadosTel: (246) 435-1130

Dr. Garry HornbyPresenterConsultantErdiston Teacher's Training CollegeBarbadosTel: (246) 429-3620 (w)

Ms. Felicia HoyteNCPTABarbadosTel: (246) 428-6627

Mrs. Donna Hunte-CoxPresenter189 Lowans, Christ ChurchBarbadosTel/Fax: (246) 428-0510

Ms. Joan InnisNCPTABayfield, St.PhilipBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-4473

Mrs. Jennifer JackmanTreasurer ECEABMount Tabor Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1633 (h)

118

Ms. Sandra JackmanGordon Greenidge Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2218 (w)Tel: (246) 422-6291 (h)

Ms. Desiree JemmottChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 424-3644Tel: (246) 426-2577Fax: (246) 435-3172

Mrs. Sandra JonesBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-3796

Ms. Cherry Ann JordanAll Saints' Girls' SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-6231 (w)Tel: (246) 422-6427 (h)

Mrs. Erlene JordanPeople's Cathedral Primary SchoolBishop Court's HillSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-2145 (w)Fax: (246) 429-4707

Mr. Lemuel JordanPresenterAVA DeppartmentMinistry of EducationBarbados

Tel: (246) 430-2849 (w)Fax: (246) 429-4707

Ms. Marlene JordanSt. Alban's Infants's SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 422-2019 (h)

Ms. Sandra JordanChief RapporteurChrist Church Foundation SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-9323 (w)Tel: (246) 426-1512 (h)

Mrs. Yvonne JordanWest Terrace Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-3000 (w)Tel: (246) 422-2628 (h)

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood educalion (Summary %port

Ms. Nicole KellmanNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 433-9530 (h)

Ms. Pauline KellmanErdiston Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3840 (w)Tel: (246) 429-3840 (h)

Mrs. Millicent KingExec. Officer ECEABWest Terrace Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-3002 (w)Tel: (246) 424-7256 (h)

Ms. Sandra KingGreen Hill DriveOpposite Block 13, Christ ChurchBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-5453

Mrs. Eudene KirtonHappy Time Pre-School &Children CentreEnterprise Main RoadChrist ChurchBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-8308

Mrs. Trevor KirtonSt. Jude's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1545 (w)Tel: (246) 436-3014 (h)

Mrs. Caroline LayneHappy Vale Montessori SchoolRichmond, WelchesSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-5129 (w)Tel: (246) 424-5462 (h)

Ms. Sandra LeacockParent Support ProgrammeSt. James Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 432-1341 (w)Tel: (246) 422-4279 (h)

Ms. Jennifer LewisSt. Mary's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-5398 (w)Tel: (246) 435-5189 (h)Tel: (246) 435-5571 (h)

Ms. Deborah LovellSt. Paul's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2583 (w)Tel: (246) 435-3278 (h)

Ms. Marcia LoweChalky Mount Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-9271 (w)Tel: (246) 422-9478 (h)

Mrs. Gloria LucasChairperson-Programme ComteSalters, St. GeorgeBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-4908

Mrs. Maureen LucasPresenterPrincipal-Erdiston Teachers CollegeBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-4908

Ms. Jasmine MaloneyRapporteurChrist Church FoundationBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-9323

Ms. Barbara MarshallBrereton's, St. PhilipBarbados

Tel: (246) 437-5432

Ms. Iona MarshallPeople's Cathedral Primary SchoolBishop Court's HillSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-2145 (w)Fax: (246) 429-4707 (w)Tel: (246) 429-3616 (h)

Ms. Margaret MarshallDeacons Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-9213 (w)Tel: (246) 438-2322 (h)

Mrs. Shirley MarshallDeacons Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-9213 (w)Tel: (246) 425-8127 (h)

1i9

Mrs. Martie MaxwellBayley's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 423-6596 (w)

Mrs. Janet MayersSt. Ambrose Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 436-6060 (w)Tel: (246) 424-2081 (h)

Mrs. Hetty Mayers-BourneCharles Rowe Bridge, St. GeorgeBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3772

Mrs. Aleta MaynardGovernment Hill Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-4223 (w)Tel: (246) 433-8378 (h)

Ms. Ruth MaynardRiver Road Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 437-8783 (h)

Ms. Pamilla McIntoshChrist Church Girl's SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-8030 (w)Tel: (246) 427-2982 (h)

Ms. Deborah McCollin-RivieraP.O. Box 863, BridgetownBarbados

Tel: (246) 420-6393

Ms. Juan MedfordSt. Alban's Infants SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 424-4874 (h)

Mrs. Crystal MelvilleChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 436-2045 (w)

Mrs. Valerian MillarWorkman's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-0017 (w)Tel: (246) 429-1944 (h)

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education (Summary 9epori

Ms. Valerie MillingtonToddlers Paradise Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-9488Email: [email protected]

Ms. Harriett MoeChrist Church Girls' SchoolBarbados

Mrs. Ruth MoeLuther Thome Memorial SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 420-4014Tel: (246) 436-0811

Mrs. Paula MorrisSt. Joseph Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-4768

Ms. Jennifer MoseleySt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 424-8599 (w)Tel: (246) 432-7688 (h)

Mrs. Jeanette MurrayHindsbury Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-7605 (w)Tel: (246) 432-5200 (h)

Mrs. Roseanne MyersPresenterAtlantis Submarine Barbados Inc.Barbados

Tel: (246) 436-8968Fax: (246) 436-8828

Mrs. Beverley Neblette-LashleyPresenterTutor - Erdiston Teachers CollegeBarbados

Tel: (246) 439-3620

Ms. Dawn NewsamDeacons Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-9213 (w)Tel: (246) 429-6115 (h)

Ms. Violet NewsamSt. Catherine's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 432-6115 (w)Tel: (246) 423-6634 (h)

Ms. Denise NurseChild Care BoardWhite Park RoadSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-2777 (w)Tel: (246) 429-1089 (h)

Ms. Me lda O'NealSt. Jude's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-1545 (w)Tel: (246) 433-1068 (h)

Mrs. Barbara ParrisPresenterDeputy PrincipalErdiston Teachers CollegeBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3620

Ms. Michelle ParrisNCPTABarbados

Tel: (246) 423-0475 (h)

Mrs. Ruth ParrisBarbados

Tel: (246) 424-1233 (h)

Dr. Lois PhillipsLwr. Streats Rd.,Clapham, St. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-2632

Ms. Maureen PhillipsSociety Primary SchoolBarbados

Mrs. Sonia PhillipsSt. Alban's Infants SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 422-3210 (h)

Mrs. Marva Pow lettWesley Hall Infants' SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3813 (w)Tel: (246) 429-1773 (h)

Mrs. Pauline PrescottWest Terrace Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-3000 (w)Tel: (246) 432-3310 (h)

120

Ms. Eumell PriceSunnyside Kindergarten SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-8849 (h)

Ms. Anna QuintyneNCPTABarbados

Mrs. Annette QuintyneWesley Hall Infants' SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3813 (w)Tel: (246) 425-7730 (h)

Ms. Sylvia RamseyParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Mrs. Cora RaySouth District Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 437-4804Tel: (246) 423-5680

Mrs. Jean RivieraOrganising CommitteeBarbados

Tel: (246) 428-6505

Ms. Peggy Rock-ClarkeSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 420-1435 (h)

Ms. Linda RoweExec. Officer ECEABCodrington High SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 439-7799

Mrs. Arlette St. HillAVA Officer-MM. Of Edu.Barbados

Tel: (246) 427-3272 (w)Fax: (246)436-2411 (w)Tel: (246) 436-8547(h)Ms. Natalie Sargeant

St. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246)424-8599 (w)Tel: (246) 423-4674 (h)


Mrs. Patricia SaulPresenterBelmont Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-4311

Ms. Amir SavouryParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Joyce ScantleburySt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260

Ms. Deborah SealyHappy Vale Montessori SchoolRichmond, WelchesSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 433-3468

Ms. Jacqueline SealyDeacons Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-9213 (w)Tel: (246)438-3604 (h)

Ms. Marlene SimpsonPeople's Cathedral Primary SchoolBishop Court's HillSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 430-0249 (h)

Mr. Bentley SkeeteCo-PresenterAtlantis Submarines Barbados Inc.Barbados

Tel: (246) 436-8968

Fax: (246) 436-8828

Ms. Wendy SmallSt. Christopher's Boys SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 428- 7273 (w)Tel: (246) 435-5319 (h)

Ms. Angela SmithIgnatius Byer Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 439-8875 (w)Tel: (246) 439-7183 (h)

Mrs. Barbara SmithPeople's Cathedral Primary SchoolBishop Court's HillSt. Michael

Barbados

Tel: (246) 429-2145Fax:(246) 429-4707

Ms. Bertha SobersSt. Patrick's R. C. SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 426-3709 (h)

Ms. Marcia SpringerSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 438-2391 (h)

Mrs. Marva SpringerPresenterPARADOS4th Avenue WelchesSt. MichaelBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-0212 (w)Tel: (246) 427-2777 (w)

Ms. Angel la SquiresParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Eudora StouteWorkman's Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-0071 (w)Tel: (246)429-0301 (h)

Mrs. Octlyn StrakerSt. James Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 432-1314 (w)Tel: (246) 438-3207 (h)

Mrs. Shirley ThomasParent Support ProgrammeBarbados

Ms. Ariel ThompsonSt. Alban's Infants' ScoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 422-5320 (h)

Mr. Bert ThompsonPresenterTutor-Erdiston Teacher's CollegeBarbados

Tel: (246) 429-3650 (w)

Mrs. Janice ThompsonPresenterSt. Martin-Mangrove Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 435-5324 (w)

Ms. Marlene ThompsonGilkes, St. LucyBarbados

Tel: (246) 439-7977

Ms. Sandra ThompsonSt. Stephen's Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 422-3162 (h)

Ms Sonia ThompsonSt. Alban's Infants SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 422-0472 (h)

Mrs. Carole ThomeWest Terrace Primary SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 438-3000 (w)Tel: (246) 438-3322 (h)

Mrs. Etwin TrotmanPresenterAVA Dept. MM of EducationBarbados

Tel: (246) 427-3272Fax: (246) 436-2411

Ms. Ruth TrotmanChurch of God Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 432-1466 (h)

Mrs. Angela WaitheEden Lodge Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1049

Ms. Marcia WaitheEden Lodge Nursery SchoolBarbados

Tel: (246) 425-1049 (w)Tel: (246) 425-0412 (h) 91

92

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education (Summary 9?epori

Ms. Kathy-Ann Waithe-GibsonWest Terrace Primary SchoolWest TerraceSt. JamesBarbadosTel: (246) 438-3000 (w)Tel: (246) 425-4775 (h)

Mrs. Patsy WalcottErdiston Nursery SchoolPine HillSt. MichaelBarbadosTel: (246) 429-3840

Ms. Joy WalkerAll Saints' Girls SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 422-6231 (w)Tel: (246) 422-2941 (h)

Mrs. Olwin WalkerSt. Stephen's Nursery ShoolBarbadosTel: (246) 425-1260 (w)Tel: (246) 427-5898 (h)

Ms. Shirleen WalksSt. Patrick's R. C. SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 430-0349 (h)

Mr. Greig WaltersSt. Giles Senior SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 427-0173 (w)Tel: (246) 422-6428 (h)Tel: (246) 439-9389 (h)

Ms. Monica WaltonWesley Hall Infants' SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 429-3813 (w)Tel: (246) 422-5606 (h)

Mr. David WatermanPresenterAVA OfficerMinistry Of EducationBarbadosTel: (246) 427-3272 (w)Fax: (246) 436-2411 (w)

Ms. Marcia WatsonBayley's Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 425-1049 (w)Tel: (246) 437-2081 (h)

Ms. Verenda WeekesBayley's Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 423-6596 (w)Tel: (246) 423-7105 (h)

Ms. Rosemary WelchEducation OfficerMinistry of EducationBarbadosTel: (246) 437-3272 (w)Fax: (246) 436-2411 (w)

Ms. Elene WentRoland Edwards Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 422-2873 (w)Tel: (246) 439-5783 (h)

Ms. Dorothy WhittakerSt. James Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 438-2038 (w)

Mrs. Sonia WickmanSt. Jude's Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 433-1545 (w)Tel: (246) 429-1751 (h)

Mrs. Grace Wickman-GoodridgeChrist Church Girls' SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 428-8030 (w)Tel: (246) 428-2620 (h)

Mrs. Selma WilkinsonPresenterSt. Lukes-Brighton Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 427-3527 (w)

Mrs. Julie WilliamsRapporteurChrist Church Foundation SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 428-9323 (w)Tel: (246) 426-1482 (h)

Mrs. Nova WorrellWesley Hall Infants' SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 429-3813 (w)Tel: (246) 428-3522 (h)

Ms. Angela WorrellSt. Andrew's Primary SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 422-9024 (w)Tel: (246) 422-9033 (h)

Ms. Susan WorrellBarbadosTel: (246) 422-2217 (w)Tel: (246) 422-3258

Ms. Vilton YardeParent Support GroupBarbadosTel: (246) 428-0045

Mr. Patrick YearwoodCodrington High SchoolBarbadosTel: (246) 422-9981

Ms. Rosemary FeithLiaison Officer-UNICEFP.O. Box 1084Belize CityBelizeTel: 501-278-795Fax: 501-231-085Email: [email protected]

Mr. Chulin GilbertoDeputy Chief Education OfficerMinistry of EducationBelmopanBelize CityBelizeTe1:501-822-380Fax: 501-823-389Ms. Allana GillettEducation OfficeNorth Front StreetBelize CityBelizeTel: 501-277-441Email: [email protected]

Ms. Prudence BarryDept.of Education & CultureP.O. Box 72, Road TownTortolaBritish Virgin IslandsTel: 49-43701 Ext. 2151Fax: 49-45421

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary %eport

Ms. Cecily MaloneDept. Of Education & CultureP.O. Box 72, Road TownTortolaBritish Virgin IslandsTel: 49-43701Fax: 49-45421

Ms. Carlene Simmonds-ParsonsDept.of Education & CultureP.O. Box 72, Road TownTortolaBritish Virgin IslandsTel: 49-43701Fax: 49-45421

Mr. Elroy TurnbullChief Education OfficerDept. of Education & CultureP.O. Box 72, Road TownTortolaBritish Virgin IslandsTel: 809-494-3701Fax: 809-494-5421

Ms. Grace CareriStudentRyerson Polytechnic Unviersity137 Palmerston AvenueToronto, OntarioM6T 2J2CanadaTel: 416-603-9995

Dr. Sylvia ChardProfessor ECEAlberta UniversityCanadaMs. Ada Chin20 Sullivan StreetToronto, OntarioMST 1B9CanadaTel: 416-581-1093Email: [email protected]

Dr. Isabel DoxeyLecturer - Ryerson School ofEarly Childhood Education144 St. Clements AveToronto, OntarioCanadaTel: 416-979-5306Fax: 416-979-5239

Ms. Lynn EdwardsStudent -RyersonPolytechnic University144 St. Clements AvenueToronto, OntarioCanadaTel: 416-481-1255Email: L2 [email protected]

Ms. Christine HendersonStudent -RyersonPolytechnic UniversityCanada

Ms. Diana MarshallStudentCanada

Ms. Lindsay Middleton1096 Shagbark CrescentMissisauga, OntarioL5C 3N7Canada

Mrs. Renee BarnesCayman Islands E.C. AssociationP.O. Box 949George TownGrand CaymanCayman IslandsTel: 345-945-2047Fax: 345-945-2047

Mrs. Marjorie Beck lesCayman Islands Ed. Dpt.P.O. Box 910Thomas Russell AveGeorge Town, Grand CaymanCayman IslandsTel: 345-945-1199Fax: 345-945-1457

Ms. Reina JeffersonPresident Cayman Islands ECAP.O. Box 30226SMB-Grand GaymanCayman IslandsTel: 345- 949-3979

Ms. Chelsea BlairMember-ECACayman Islands

Ms. Janice FearonMember-ECACayman Islands

123

Mr. Clive HamiltonMember-ECACayman Islands

Mr. Reino JeffersonMember-ECACayman Islands

Mr. Henry MeloneMember-ECACayman Islands

Mr. Locksley MitchellMember-ECACayman Islands

Ms. Lucinda MitchellMember-ECACayman Islands

Ms. Liz SmithVice President ECAP.O. Box 31425SMB - Grand CaymanCayman IslandsTel: 345-945-1161Email: [email protected]

Ms. Janet WalkerMember-ECACayman Islands

Milagros Rol& BerroaDirectora Education Pre-ScolarDiraccion Provincial deEducacionFactor #765,Conilly y TolipanVdo CubaCubaTel: 53-623-286 / 820-836Fax: 53-622-547

Mr. Everton HallPortsmouthCommonwealth of Dominica

Mrs. Eulalie BurtonMinistry of Education & SportsGovernment HeadquartersCommonwealth of DominicaTel: 809-445-2561Fax: 809-448-5200

e0c.


Ms. Roma DouglasDirector Social CentreP. O. Box 1614 Turkey LaneCommonwealth of DominicaTel: 809-448-2741Fax: 809-448-4118

Ms. Frances HarrisPrincipal-Teachers' TrainingCollege12th Street CanefieldCommonwealth of DominicaTel: 809-448-82401 (h)

Mr. Martin BaptisteMinistry of EducationYoung StreetGrenadaTel: 809-443-2823Fax: 809-440-6650

Ms. Ivy HarrisMinistry of EducationYoung StreetGrenadaTel: 809-440-4468 (h)

809-440-2737 (w)Fax: 809-440-6650

Mrs. Brenda HoodExec. Dir. GRENSAVEChurch StreetSt. George'sGrenadaTel: 809-440-2448Fax: 809-440-5120

Mrs. Cynthia IsaacMinistry of EducationYoung StreetGrenadaTel: 809-442.8317Fax: 809-440-6650

Ms. Barbara AtherleyNational Project Officer (Ed.)UNICEF

....c,,, 72 Brickdam Road

Guyana''''........" Tel: 592-277-002

Fax: 592-265-894

94

Mrs. Myrna BernardCARICOM SecretariatBank of Guyana BldgP.O. Box 10827GeorgetownGuyanaTel: 592-251-960Fax: 592-267-861Fax: 592-258-039 (CARICOM)

Ms. Pamella DecemberRay 26 Nursery ComplexGuyana

Ms. Sandra HooperMayor & City Council Ave ofRepublic & Regent StreetGeorgetownGuyanaTel: 592-250-413Fax: 592-255-337

Mrs. Jaiastri KhelawanLeonara Primary School184 Parafield,LeonaraWest Coast DemeraraGuyana

Ms. Alexia KwangCyril Potter College of Education8 Genieve Canal No. 1West Bank DemeraraGuyana

Ms. Genevieve Whyte-NeddAsst. Chief Education OfficerMinistry of Education21 Brickdam RoadGeorgetownGuyanaTel: 592-026-8077Fax: 592-011-592

Mr. Wesley BarrettChief Education OfficerMinistry of Education, Youth &CultureKingston 4JamaicaTel: 876-922-1354Fax: 876-922-6328

1 2 4

Mrs. Janet BrownPresenterSnr. LecturerUWI Mona CampusP.O. Box 141Kingston 7ORCCDCSchool of Continuing StudiesUWI Mona CampusP.O. Box 141, MonaKingston 7JamaicaTel: 876-927-1618Tel: 867-935-8353/4Fax: 876-977-7433 (CCDC)Email:[email protected]

Mr. Keith BrownBrown, Ray Associates13 Caledonia AveKingston 5JamaicaTel: 876- 960-3697/8Fax: 876- 960-3697

Mr. Christopher ClarkeShortwood Teacher's College77 Shortwood RoadKingston 8JamaicaTel: 876-905-3645Fax: 876-969-2254

Mrs. Rose DaviesPresenterLecturer ECE UWI MonaInst. of Edu., Faculty of Arts& EducationUWI MonaJamaicaTel: 876-927-2431Fax: 876-977-2836Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Sonia EbanksUNICEF60 Knutford BldgJamaicaTel: 876-926-7584Fax: 876929-8084

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary 9epori

Dr. Kerida McDonaldPresenterEducation ConsultantCCDCP. 0. Box 141Kingston 7JamaicaTel: 876-927-1618

Ms. Valarie JamesCoordinator ECEMinistry of EducationWlvestonMontserratTel: 664-491-2541Fax: 664-491-6941

Ms. Vanta WaltersCoordinator - E CEVictoria RoadBasseterreSt. Kitts & NevisTel: 869-465-2369

Ms. Patricia WilliamsEducation OfficerMinistry of EducationGovernment Road,P.O. Box 333St. Kitts & NevisTel: 869-465-521 Ext. 2061Fax: 869-469-1207

Ms. Martina AugustineRepresentativeSir Arthur Lewis Community CollegeMorne FortuneCastriesSt. LuciaTel: 758-452-5507

Ms. Marguerite GustavePresenterMinistry of Education Labour &BroadcastingP.O. Box 1541, CastriesSt. LuciaTel: 758-451-7710Tel: 758-451-6964Fax: 758-450-2008

Ms. Rosemunde RenardPresenterCo-ordinator-Laborie CommunityEducation CentreLaborie, CastriesSt. LuciaTel: 758-454-6449Fax: 758-455-9194Email: [email protected]

Ms. Ramona DavidChairperson NAECEP.O. Box 1297Gros Islet, CastriesSt. LuciaTel: 758-453-1574

Ms. Ruby YorkeMinistry of Education Labour &BroadcastingCastriesSt. LuciaTel: 758-451-7710 / 6964Fax: 758-453-2299

Mrs. Angela DekkerCentre for ECCEFront Street11 Unit 14, PhilipsburgSt. Maarten

Ms. Judith BallahCo-ordinator ECE-Biabou P.O.Ministry of EducationSt. Vincent & the GrenadinesTel: 784-456-1877Fax: 784-487-1114

Ms. Gloria DennieSan SouiiMinistry of EducationPark Hill Government SchoolSt. Vincent & the GrenadinesTel: 784-458-6345

Ms. Janice FraserDirector - VINS AVEP.O. Box 203St. Vincent & the GrenadinesTel: 784-456-1790

Mr. Macaulay PetersChief Education OfficerMinistry of EducationSt. Vincent & the GrenadinesTel: 784-456-1877(h) /457-1104 (w)Fax: 784-457-1114

Dr. Lilian FerrierDirector Foundation HumanDevelopmentReinast. 16, P.O. Box 2441ParamariboSurinameTel: 597-494-643Email: fhdPl @sr.net

AL125

Mrs. Mildred Guds-EerselMinistry of EducationMarthast 43, ParamariboSurinameTel: 597-490-971

Mr. Adiel KallanAsst. Permanent SecretaryMinistry of EducationZinniastraat 33, ParamariboSurinameTel: 597-497-744

Mrs. Tania MuskietCoordinator Education ProjectMinistry of PDCChristophel Kerstenstraat 11ParamariboSurinameTel: 597-402-437

Drs. Mildred PabstDirector - Foundation KlimopPrinsenstr 45, P.O. Box 9150ParamariboSurinameTel: 597-472-372Fax: 597-472-372

Drs. Cynthia RingelingDirector - Sucet FoundationP.O. Box S396ParamariboSurinameTel: 597-452-810Fax: 597-452-810Tel: 597-456-175Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Merle JohnMinistry of EducatioTrinidad & TobagoTel: 868-637-9025

Dr. Carol LogieUWI St. Augustine CampusFaculty of EducationTrinidad & TobagoTel: 868-662-2002 Ext. 2116

Ms. Sharon MarriottCo-ordinator ECEMinistry of Social DevelopmentPort of SpainTrinidad & TobagoTel: 868-623-8841

95

(Second Caribbean Conference on Carly Childhood 6ducofion (Summary 9?eport

Mrs. Annette WiltshireHealth Consultant2 Old Paddock Link RoadPort of SpainTrinidad & TobagoTel: 868-637-4166

Mrs. Zita WrightMinistry of EducationPort of SpainTrinidad & TobagoTel: 868-662-7619868-622-2181

Email: neil @Trinidad.net

Ms. Susan Swanlanthe Pratt Primary SchoolThe Bight Providencia lesTurks and CaicosTel: 809-946-4165

Ms. Sadie Jean-WilliamsEducation DepartmentMission FollyGrand TurkTurks & CaicosTel: 809-946-2319Fax: 809-946-2500

Mr. Ivan BaughMs. Jean Baugh9910 Shelbyville RoadLouisville Ky 40223-2908U.S.A.Tel: 502-245-9816Fax: 502-253-9013Email:[email protected]

Dr. Lilian KatzProfessor ECEUniversity of IllinoisU.S.A.

Dr. Mary MarkowskyInternational ConsultantEducation and Technology117 Columbus DriveTenally NJ 07670U.S.A.Tel: 201-567-9183Fax: 201-567-685Email:[email protected]

Mrs. Kirsten Abrahams-OttleyNisky Mailboxes #506St. Thomas VI 00802

95 U.S. Virgin Islands

Ms. Diane Robinson15 FortunaP.O. Box 9971St. Thomas VI 00801U.S. Virgin Islands

Ms. Cassie LandersUNICEF NYHQ3 U.N. PlazaNew York, NY 10017USATel: 212-824-6626

Mr. Macharia KamauArea RepresentativeUNICEF CAOP.O. Box 1232BridgetownBarbadosTel: 246-432-2119Fax: 246-436-2812Email: [email protected]

Mr. Juan Carlos EspinolaProgramme CoordinatorUNICEF CAOP.O. Box 1232BridgetownBarbadosTel: (246) 432-2119Fax: 246-436-2812Email: [email protected]

Mr. Fabio SabatiniMonitoring & Evaluation OfficerUNICEF CAOP.O. Box 1232BridgetownBarbadosTel: 246-432-2119Fax: 246-436-2812Email: [email protected]

Ms. Heather StewartAssistant Project OfficerUNICEF CAOP.O. Box 1232BridgetownBarbadosTel: 246-432-2119Fax: 246-436-2812Email: unicef @caribsurf.com

126

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood education 6ummary %pod

SECOND CARIBBEAN CONFERENCE ONEARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

1-5 April 1997Barbados

PROGRAMMEOPENING CEREMONY

Tuesday 1 April 1997

Master of Ceremonies: Mrs. Esme Bascombe, Secretary, Early Childhood Education Association ofBarbados, (ECEAB)

08:30 a.m. Musical InterludeWesley Hall School Symphonia

09:00 a.m. National Anthem of BarbadosWesley Hall School Symphonia

09:05 a.m. Introductory Statement and Acknowledgement of DelegatesMs. Shelley Ashby, President, ECEAB

09:20 a.m. Welcome Address and Declaration of Opening of ConferenceHon. Mia Amor Mottley, Minister of Education, Youth Affairs & Culture

09:35 a.m. RemarksMr. Macharia Kamau, Area RepresentativeUNICEF Caribbean Area Office (UNICEF/CAO)

09:45 a.m. RemarksMrs. Colleen Winter-Brathwaite, Representative

United Nations Educational, Scientfic and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

Appendix VII

09:55 a.m. RemarksMr. Herman Grant, Chief Development Officer, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)

RemarksHer Excellency, Mrs. Colleen Swords, High CommissionerCanadian High Commission

Keynote AddressDr. Lilian Katz, Professor of Early Childhood EducationUniversity of Illinois, USA

Reception immediately follows. Delegates should re-assemble at 12:45 for the Opening Session of the Conference.

_L27

97

go

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood education (Summary 9epori

Tuesday, April 1, 1997

Ceremonies Coordinator:

13:00 13:05

13:05 -13:30

SESSION IBarbados

13:30 13:45

Headquarters

13:45 - 15:00

and Tobago

15:00 15:30

15:30 -16:30

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT1-5 April 1997

Barbados

AGENDA

Mrs. Margreta Clarke, Vice President, Early Childhood Association of Barbados (ECEAB)

Election of Conference ChairpersonChairperson: Representative of US Virgin Islands, Convenor of 1st Caribbean Conference onEarly Childhood Education

Aims and Objectives of ConferencePresenter: Conference Chairperson-Elect

Chairperson: Mrs. Wendy Griffith-Watson, Chief Education Officer (ag), Ministry of Education,

UNICEF Policy on Early Childhood EducationPresenter: Ms. Cassie Landers, Early Childhood Development Consultant, UNICEF, New York

Early Childhood Education: An Assessment of the Situation in the English-speakingCaribbean and Suriname.Presenters: Mrs. Janet Brown, Director, Caribbean Child Development Centre, JamaicaDr. Kerida McDonald, Consultant, Caribbean Child Development Centre, JamaicaDr. Carol Logie, Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, University of the West Indies, Trinidad

Coffee Break

Chairperson: Mr. Elroy Turnbull,Chief Education OfficerMinistry of Education, British Virgin Islands

Open Discussion

16:30 Meeting of Steering CommitteeMeeting of Working Committee on Draft Plan of ActionMeeting of Organising Committee for Structuring the Caribbean Association

128


Wednesday, April 1 1997SESSION II

Chairperson: Mr. Macaulay Peters, Chief Education OfficerMinistry of Education, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

08:30 - 10:30 Panel Discussion on Improving Quality Education in Early Childhood Development

08:30-09:10 The Supporting Environment for the Delivery of ECEPresenter: Mrs. Rose Davies, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, UWIMona Campus, Jamaica

Curriculum Development: Processes and Products for EmpowermentPresenter: Dr. Megan Goodridge, Special Projects Officer, Ministry of Education, Barbados

0910 - 09:30 Open Discussion

09:30-10:10 Integrated Approaches to Early Childhood Care and Development ProgrammesPresenter: Dr. Kerida McDonald, Consultant, Caribbean Child Development Centre, Jamaica

10:10 10:30

10:30 - 11:00

SESSION III11:00 - 12:00

A Case for Strengthening Government Investment in ECDPresenter:Mr.Fabio Sabatini, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, UNICEF Caribbean Area Office(UNICEF/CAO)

Open Discussion

Coffee Break

Donor Panel: Response to the Regional Plan of Action for Early Childhood Care and EducationModerator:Mr. Juan Carlos Espinola, Programme Coordinator, UNICEF Caribbean Area Office

12:00 - 12:30 Open Discussion

12:30 - 12:45 Press Briefing

12:30 - 14:00 Lunch

100


SESSION IV - Concurrent Workshops

Participants should sign up for the Workshops of their preference on the sheets provided. Please note that there are restrictions in the

number of persons who may attend all Workshops. Therefore, subscriptions will be on a first come,first served basis and participants are

urged to strictly adhere to these restrictions.

A continuous coffee service will be available throughout the afternoon sessions.

TIME DOVERROOM

HALL A HALL B HALL C

14:00 15:00 Maximising theBenefits ofChildren'sLiterature in anEarly ChildhoodClassroomMrs. MargaretBlanchette,Specialist inChildren'sLiterature,Barbados

Assessment of EarlyChildhood LiteracyDr. Desmond Clarke,Lecturer, UWI, CaveHill Campus,Barbados

The Teacher's Rolein Children's SocialDevelopmentDr Lilian Katz,Professor of EarlyChildhood Educa-tion, University ofIllinois, USA

CooperativeLearning Strate-gies for the VeryYoungMrs. Patricia Saul,Senior Teacher,Belmont Primary,Barbados

15:00 16:00 MathematicalExperiences atHome and School:The Importance ofHome SchoolCommunications inthe Early YearsMrs. MargueriteGustave, Curricu-lum Officer, Pre-school Services,Ministry of Educa-tion, St. Lucia

Aspects of QualityCare in Infant/Toddler Pro-grammesMs. SharonMarriott,Coordinator,National Plan ofAction for Chil-dren, Ministry ofSocial Develop-ment, Trinidad andTobago

Parenting Educa-tionMrs. Janet Brown,Director, CaribbeanChild DevelopmentCentre, Jamaica

Schools andCommunities inPartnershipMrs. MaureenLucas, Principal,Erdiston Teachers'Training College,Barbados

16:00 - 17:00 Early ChildhoodCare and EducationCurriculum inTrinidad andTobago:Implications forProgramme En-hancement in theCaribbean:Dr. Carol Logie,Lecturer, ECD,UWI, Trinidad andTobago

The Early ChildhoodEducator and thePrevention of Mal-treatment of YoungChildrenMs. Joan Crawford,Snr. Child CareOfficer,Barbados Child CareBoard

Assisting YoungChildren in theDevelopment of OralLanguage SkillsMrs. CatherineBlackman, EducationOfficer, EarlyChildhood Educa-tion, Ministry ofEducation, Barbados

Perspectives inQuality of EarlyChildhoodEducation:Dr. Lilian Katz,Professor of EarlyChildhoodEducation,University ofIllnois, USA

17:00 - 18:00 Exchange of countryexperiences

Exchange of countryexperiences



130

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary 9eport

Thursday, April 3. 1997

SESSION V - Concurrent Workshops

Participants should sign up for the Workshops of their preference on the sheets provided. Please note that there are restrictions in the number of personswhomay attend all Workshops. Therefore, subscriptions will be on a first come, first served basis and participants are urged to strictly adhere to these restrictions.A continuous coffee service will be available throughout the afternoon sessions.

TIME DOVER ROOM HALL A HALL B HALL C

08:30 09:30 MovementExperiences in theECE ProgrammeMrs. Donna Hunte-Cox, Teacher/Performing Arts,Barbados

Puppetry inEducation:Ms. Arlette St.Hill, Audio-Visual AidsOfficer, Ministryof Education,Barbados

Working withParents of Chil-dren with SpecialNeeds:Dr. Garry Hornby,Consultant,Erdiston TeachersTraining College,Barbados

Science withYoung Children:The LivingClassroomMrs. RoseanneMyers, GeneralManager andCo-presenter,AtlantisSubmarine

09:30 10:30 Drama forYoung ChildrenMrs. JaniceThompson,Principal, St.Martin-MangrovePrimary School,Barbados

Building Skills forLife in Early Child-hood ProgrammesMrs. AnnetteWiltshire, Healthand Family LifeEducation Specialist,Trinidad

Community-basedmodel of preschooleducation: The St.Lucian ExperienceMrs. RosamundeRenard, Coordina-tor, LaborieCommunityEducation Centre,St. Lucia

10:30 11:00 COFFEE BREAK

11:00 12:30 "I've Got the Musicin Me Activities for3-8 year olds":Mrs. June Graham,Teacher, ErdistonNursery School,Barbados & Mrs.Selma Wilkinson,Teacher, St. Luke'sPrimary, Barbados

Creative ArtExperiences in theDevelopment ofYoung Children:Ms. BeverleyAlleyne, Teacher,Ministry of Educa-tion, Barbados

Parent SupportVolunteerProgramme:Dr. MeganGoodridge,Special ProjectsOfficer, Ministryof Education,Barbados

TeacherEducation: StaffDevelopmentMrs.BarbaraParris, DeputyPrincipal, ErdistonTeachers TrainingCollege, Barbados

12:30 - 13:00 Press Briefing

12:30 14:00 LUNCH

(Second Caribbean Conference on early Childhood Education (Summary 9epori

TIME DOVER ROOM HALL A HALL B HALL C

14:00 - 15:00 Young Minds Explor-ing and Developingthrough Technologi-cal Pursuits:Mrs. GemielHinkson, Teacher,St. Matthias Primary/Mrs. Etwin Trotman& Mr. DavidWaterman, Audio-Visual Aids Officers,Ministry of Educa-tion, Barbados

Strategies for theidentification andteaching of giftedchildren in theearly years:Mr. BertThompson, TutorErdiston College,Barbados

Parent EducationSession:Mr. Selwyn Brooks,President, NationalCouncil of Parent-Teacher Associa-tions, Barbados

Audio-Visual AidsPractical:Mr. LemuelJordan, Audio-Visual AidsOfficer, Ministryof Education,Barbados

15:00 16:00 Developing a Tech-nology LiterateWorkforce: Tools forStarting Them EarlyMr. Ivan W.BaughMrs. Jean G. Baugh

The Early Child-hood Educator andthe Special NeedsChildMrs. BeverleyNeblett-Lashley,Tutor, ErdistonCollege

Parent Educa-tion Session:Child CareDepartment,Barbados ChildCare Board

Project Approach inECE ProgrammesDr. Lilian Katz,Professor of EarlyChildhood Education,University of Illinois& Dr. Sylvia Chard,Lecturer, EarlyChildhood Education,University of Alberta,Canada

16:00 - 17:00 Using technology toenhance teachingand learningDr. MaryMarkowsky,InternationalConsultant, Educa-tion Technology,USA

Community-basedmodel of pre-schooleducation:TheJamaica ExperienceDr. KeridaMacDonald,Consultant, Carib-bean Child Devel-opment Centre,Jamaica

The Stages ofParenthoodParent EducationSessionMrs. Marva Springer,Director/Ms. Rhonda Bryan-HutsonParent Education forDevelopment inBarbados(PAREDOS)

Continued

17:00 - 18:00 Values EducationMs. MyrnaBelgrave, PrincipalGarrison SecondarySchool

Continued InterpersonalRelationshipsMrs. Anne HewittBarbadosShipping &Trading

102

Review of Regional Plan of Action for Ear y Child Care and DevelopmentSelect Committee of Regional RepresentativesChairperson: Mr. Juan Carlos Espinola, Programme Coordinator, UNICEF CAO

17:30 Technical Briefing for the Press

(Second Caribbean Conference on Early Childhood Education (Summary deport

Friday, April 4. 1997

09:00 - 12:00 Visits to Schools

14:00 18:00 Optional Tours

19:30 - 23:00 Bajan Cultural Evening - Tyrol Cot

Saturday, April 5, 1997

SESSION V

09:00 - 10:00

10:00 - 11:10

11:10 -11:30

11:30 - 11:50

11:50 - 12:00

Adoption of Regional Association of Early Childhood EducatorsChairperson: Mr. Keith Browne, President, Jamaica Association of Basic School Boards

Plenary Review and Adoption of the Plan of Action for improving the quality, scope andcoverage of early childhood programmes in the region.Chairperson: Mr. Juan Carlos Espinola, Programme Coordinator, UNICEF Caribbean Area Office

Conference SummaryPresenter: Ms. Shelley Ashby, President, Early Childhood EducationAssociation of Barbados

Feature AddressSenator Cynthia Forde, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs andCulture, Barbados

Vote of ThanksMrs. Margreta Clarke, Vice President, Early Childhood EducationAssociation of Barbados

12:00 Press Briefing

1 3 3103

4/

./2

it

fi United Nations/.,e//if, ,77`

U.S. Department of EducationOffice of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)

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