World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education

Moscow (Russia), 27-29 September 2010

Early childhood is a critical period. Children are most vulnerable and most dependent then on relationships for survival, emotional security and cognitive development. Yet large proportions of the world’s children are denied access to the benefits of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), which in turn limits the development potential of countries and regions.

Wealth should not be defined as material gain alone. It should also take account of whether countries are able to nurture their human capital with values important in a globalized world: tolerance, a sense of justice and cooperation, respect for diversity and for the environment. The first World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education addresses the importance of starting early.

Children Painting a Mural in Pakistan

Joanne Towfilis alerted me to this video which came from the Pakistan coordinator of the Art Miles Mural Project which Joanna directs. It shows both how bright kids are in Pakistan and how many of them miss out on education. JAD

Student Success: A Published Paper

UNESCO is a world leader both in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and in recognition of local knowledge systems and their value. I want to point to a newly published paper by an American author which describes a UNESCO program that promotes the incorporation of local knowledge in early childhood education in Africa. I am especially pleased to do so because the author is a former student in our UNESCO seminar, and the paper was written as a project for that seminar.

"Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge and Practice into ECCE: A Comparison of Programs in The Gambia, Senegal, and Mali"

Alicia Ranck Soudée

Current Issues in Comparative Education

Abstract: "Early Childhood Development (ECD) has emerged as a theme in international and African dialogue on education in recent years. UNESCO’s Division of Basic Education Early Childhood promotes an integrated approach to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy development and review. The study examines how this is implemented in three West African countries, with similar cultural groups in their diverse populations: The Gambia, Mali and Senegal. In The Gambia there is thus far a proposal on how indigenous knowledge should be included in early childhood programs. The clos d’enfants [children’s groups], in Mali demonstrates similar ideas through an international partnership with a local initiative program, developed in Bamako using mothers, local materials and toys made by the participants. Senegal’s program combining local traditions and European pedagogical philosophies, the case des tout-petits [children’s huts], came from the President. Analysis of these three cases suggests that these programs and proposals may be a springboard for UNESCO and partners to further develop ECCE with indigenous knowledge and practice in Africa."

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UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood

The results from the OECD Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy from 1998 to 2006 can be consulted in Issue No. 41 of the UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood series.


Other recent publications on Early Childhood Care and Education include the Policy Review Report: Early Childhood Care and Education in Brazil” (2007) and the Summary Report of the UNESCO/OECD Early Childhood Policy Review Project for Brazil, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kenya (2007).

Related links

• Issue No. 41 of the UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood
  
  
• Previous publications of the Policy Brief series
  
  
• “Policy Review Report: Early Childhood Care and Education in Brazil” (2007)
  
  
• “Summary Report of the UNESCO/OECD Early Childhood Policy Review Project for Brazil, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kenya” (2007)

Latin American Leaders Give Priority to Early Childhood Development Programs

The Copenhagen Consensus Center analyzes the world's greatest challenges and identifies cost efficient solutions to meeting these challenges. The Center works with multilateral organizations, governments and other entities concerned with mitigating the consequences of the challenges which the world is facing.

The Copenhagen Consensus for Latin America and the Caribbean took place in San José, Costa Rica, 22-25 October 2007. The challenges considered were:

• Democracy,
• Education,
• Employment and Social Security,
  
• Environment,
  
• Fiscal Problems,
  
• Health,
• Infrastructure,
  
• Poverty and Inequality,
  
• Public Administration and Institutions, and
• Violence and Crime.
  

An expert panel of nine distinguished economists considered research about each major challenge and its potential solutions.

The panel ended its brief report with the following paragraph:

Top priority was given to Early Childhood Development programs. These are interventions that improve the physical, intellectual and social development of children early in their life. The interventions range from growth monitoring, day-care services, preschool activities, improved hygiene and health services to parenting skills. Besides improving children’s welfare directly, the panel concluded these programs create further benefits for family members, releasing women and older siblings to work outside the home or to further their own education. Evidence shows that the benefits are substantially higher than the costs.

Of course, UNESCO has recognized the priority appropriate to Early Childhood Development programs long ago.

Check out the UNESCO Early Childhood website.

The 2007 EFA Global Monitoring Report features Early Childhood Care and Education.

EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007

Every year, the EFA Global Monitoring Report assesses where the world stands on its commitment to provide a basic education to all children, youth and adults by 2015.

EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007 features early childhood care and education

Find out...

Why is early childhood care and education so important to achieving EFA?

Why do disadvantaged children benefit the most?

Who are the 77 million out-of-school children?

How much is needed to meet the 2015 target date?

• Full Report (PDF)
• Summary Report (PDF)

EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007

Every year, the Education For All Global Monitoring Report assesses where the world stands on its commitment to provide a basic education to all children, youth and adults by 2015.

The EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007

features

early childhood care and education

UNESCO Contest: Draw me peace - 4-5 years old

"Now, all the children are friends and free of sadness.
Without any border, hand in hand, they are dancing cheerfully"
Teheran - Ms Torosian Private Painting Class

Public-private partnerships for education: what makes them work?

Partnerships for Education (PfE), led by UNESCO and the World Economic Forum, brought together supporters of public-private partnerships for education at a workshop on 25 and 26 June in Geneva, Switzerland.

"It is truly an honour to be part of such a groundbreaking educational model
where private, public and non-profit organizations come together
to drive the marriage of education and technology for the greater good."

John Chambers, President and CEO, Cisco Systems

The workshop focussed on the success and sustainability of education partnerships.

Participants from UN agencies, the private sector, civil society, academic institutions, governments, and teachers from all regions of the world described examples of multi-stakeholder partnerships in education (MSPEs), identified common factors for success and review capacity for delivering such partnerships worldwide. They will also study how best to co-ordinate existing MSPE initiatives.

Partnerships for Education (PfE) is an unprecedented collaboration between governments, the private sector, international organizations and donors to help deliver effective private sector contributions to meet the goal of providing Education for All (EFA) by 2015. The partnership was signed between UNESCO and the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2007.

Read more about UNESCO catalyzed partnerships for education.

EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007

The Education for All Global Monitoring Report for 2007 features Early Childhood Education.

Find out...

Why is early childhood care and education so important to achieving EFA?

Why do disadvantaged children benefit the most?

Who are the 77 million out-of-school children?

How much is needed to meet the 2015 target date?

"Time is running out to meet the EFA goals set in 2000. Despite continued overall global progress at the primary level, including for girls, too many children are not in school, drop out early or do not reach minimal learning standards. By neglecting the connections among early childhood, primary and secondary education, and adult literacy, countries are missing opportunities to improve basic education across the board – and, in the process, the prospects of children, youth and adults everywhere."

In addition to reporting on global progress towards education for all, the Report adopts a holistic approach towards early childhood care and education (ECCE). ECCE supports children’s survival, growth, development and learning – including health, nutrition and hygiene,
and cognitive, social, physical and emotional development – from birth to entry into primary school in formal, informal and non-formal settings.