A boost for early-childhood education

Commission reports favourable outcome for programme

Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer

THE EARLY Childhood Commission (ECC) is reporting success with the implementation and streamlining of its early-childhood education programme. The early-childhood care and education programme is delivered through a network of more than 3,000 institutions, including day-care centres, community-run basic schools, government infant schools and infant departments in primary and all-age schools, and kindergarten departments of private-owned preparatory schools.

According to chairman of the ECC, Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, of the 3,000 early-childhood institutions, 2,800 have been identified and up to December 2010, 2,592 have applied for registration.

In 2008, the number of registrants moved from between 50 and 60 per cent to 91 per cent in 2010.

"Because it was a new initiative, we did a lot of encouragement initially. We exercised due process. It was a challenging process to many of these institutions to get themselves organised," Samms-Vaughan said.

The ECC said a majority of the institutions have complied with the registration requests, adding that they were currently working with institutions that have failed to comply.

"The registration process is quite simple and principals can obtain registration from the ECC's website and from a booklet that is prepared primarily for the early-childhood sector," Samms-Vaughan said.

During the developmental stages, there was also an education process with more than 200 meetings across the country in which principals, teachers, a board member and a parent were invited for the information sessions, where they were informed of the registration and application process.

The registration process includes filling out an application form and paying the application fee. The ECC also requires a full listing of all staff at the institutions, their qualifications, a listing of the school's furniture, fire, safety, health and police records.

Inspections lag behind

Samms-Vaughan told The Gleaner that for those institutions registered so far, the health reports were 36 per cent satisfactory. The fire department has been lagging behind with inspection of some of the school.

"For many of these schools, this is the first time that what is required is being pointed out to them. So I wouldn't worry about the low numbers now because this is the first time. I don't want to give the impression that these schools are an immediate risk to the children, but there are things that need to be fixed," Samms-Vaughan said.

The ECC chairman said because of minor hindrances, some early-childhood institutions do not meet safety requirements. For example, the exits are not clearly marked and doors do not swing outwards. There was also an issue with the lack of or non-operational fire extinguishers in some of the schools.

"Probably the most challenging thing with the fire department is that some schools have only one entry and exit door. You know that is a major fire hazard because if a fire starts right at the door, then everybody will be in trouble," Samms-Vaughan said.

Following these inspections, the ECC then sends a report to the school stating what they need to do to bring the school up to standard.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com