UNESCO highlights the significance of early childhood, stating, “The period from birth to eight years old is one of remarkable brain development for children and represents a crucial window of opportunity for education.” According to UNESCO, early childhood care and education (ECCE) that is truly inclusive is more than just preparation for primary school. It can be the foundation for emotional well-being and lifelong learning, making it one of the best investments a country can make. It promotes holistic development, gender equality, and social cohesion.
Sustainable Development Goal 4, Target 4.2, aims to ensure that by 2030 all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education. This will prepare them for primary education. The Second World Congress of Education International (EI), held in Washington DC from July 25 to 29, 1998, made a resolution on ECCE noting:
Educational research shows that early childhood education promotes equal opportunities, reduces the need for expensive interventions, and leads to more successful education in later years.
Public investment in early childhood education is cost-effective, generating both human and economic rewards. Physiological, psychological, and educational research confirms the value of developmentally appropriate early childhood education.
The congress also noted that changes in family structures and the number of families where both parents work have increased the demand for early childhood provision in both care and education. It is important that such provision is of high quality, based on the needs of individual children and their age groups.
EI recommends:
Early childhood education should be a public service and part of the education system.
Full responsibility for early childhood education should be assigned to the Ministry of Education at national or regional levels.
There should be continuity and coordination between early childhood education and primary education.
Sufficient resources must be allocated within the education budget to provide high-quality early childhood education, free of charge and accessible to all.
As a member of the United Nations, Trinidad and Tobago (TT) should heed the guidelines and reports generated by the UN. While UNESCO cannot dictate individual government policies, it is advisable for the Ministry of Education to be guided by such respected global organizations.
The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) is a member of EI and supports the principles of EI’s 1998 resolution. TTUTA advocates for comprehensive policy and sustainable investment in ECCE, recognizing its foundational importance in the education system.
Currently, ECCE teachers in TT are employed under contractual arrangements, some for three years, others on a month-to-month basis. The terms of these contracts are often unsatisfactory and may even be unlawful. Timely salary payments are inconsistent, with some teachers not being paid for two months. Gratuity payments are also delayed, in some cases for over ten years.
The Auditor General’s most recent report raised concerns over the high payments to contracted workers in the public sector, with the Ministry of Education being a significant contributor at $31 million. There are other concerns with contracted work, especially considering the critical role of these teachers. Vacation arrangements, highlighted by the association, have also not been addressed by authorities.
UNESCO further states, “Extending education rights to include early childhood care can significantly impact developmental outcomes for children. Evidence suggests that legal provisions for compulsory pre-primary education can boost early development.”
The TT Government has taken steps to amend the Education Act to include ECCE students within the schooling age. However, this amendment has been delayed, bouncing between the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Education.
It appears that the legislative priority of the Government does not include stabilizing this sector. TTUTA deplores the contemptuous treatment of ECCE teachers and calls on the population to demand correction of this injustice.