Future Plans for Early Childhood Development

ZIZ News — With 30 years of children’s development under its belt, the Early Childhood Unit is now looking at the further advancement of children and children’s rights for the next 30 years.

Throughout June Child Month 2014 is being observed under the theme, “Child Month at 30 – Reflecting on Our Achievements”.

In a recent Upfront interview with ZIZ, the Director Of Early Childhood Development, Jacquelyn Morris said one area of focus going forward is the re-implementation of the Full Fledged High School Curriculum.

“Our focus is one training all caregivers, all pre-school teachers in particular and even nursery caregivers in the high school curriculum,” she said. “So we are hoping that at least even before 30 years from now that all of our early childhood centers, pre-schools in particular, are implementing that programme in its fullest form that our children, when they go to primary schools they excel because the programme is designed to prepare them for primary school once it is well implemented.”

She added that they will also be putting much emphasis on conflict resolution among young people.

“We want to see over the next 30 years, our boys and girls, our youth…let me use the term youth because I am speaking to those who would have reached 18-19 years also, they are very skilled in applying conflict resolution strategies that will minimize the kinds of problems that we experience among our youth today,” she said.

According to Mrs. Morris, they will also be putting the necessary programmes in place to significantly reduce the number of high school dropouts.