Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 3

I sent the suggested questions to my contact in Belize two weeks ago but have not heard back from her.  As a result, I explored UNESCO’s Early Childhood Care and Education webpage. 

I found a policy brief entitled, The Early Childhood Workforce in ‘Developed’ Countries: Basic Structures and Education (UNESCO, 2004).  The brief discussed the early childhood workforce and its education in several countries.  I found it somehow reassuring to know that other countries experience similar issues to the U.S.  The article discussed two systems of early childhood services.  “Typically one system has ‘childcare’ or ‘nursery’ workers, the other ‘teachers’. Typically, too, the latter have higher levels of basic education, better pay and other employment conditions and greater social status” (UNESCO, 2004, p.1).  This dilemma sounds very similar!  What is not similar is the way other countries are handling it.  For example, nine European countries have integrated the two systems into one government department.  The article relates that the integration has not solved all of the issues but it has enabled some countries to establish teachers across the age spectrum.  For example, “Sweden introduced major workforce changes in 2001, bringing together three formerly separate educations and professions: pre-school teacher, school teacher and free-time pedagogue (school-age childcare worker). The new education qualifies a new profession: teachers working with children from birth to 19 and in a range of education settings (pre-schools, pre-school classes in schools, schools, free-time services)” (UNESCO, 2004, p. 2).  While the European countries are certainly much small than ours, perhaps there are some lessons to be learned.

As I continued to explore the website, I came across information about UNESCO’s 36^th General Conference which is actually being held in Paris beginning on October 25^th.  The conference overview referred to working towards EFA goals.  I did not know what that meant so I continued my exploration.  It turns out the Education for All movement is an international commitment to ensuring basic education for all children, youth and adults.  Established in 2000 and in cooperation with four additional international partners, the EFA has six goals that 164 governments have agreed to meet by 2015:

Goal 1:  Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

Goal 2:  Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality.

Goal 3:  Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes.

Goal 4:  Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults.

Goal 5:  Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to an achievement in basic education of good quality.

Goal 6:  Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.  (UNESCO, 1995-2011).

There is a video on the webpage about Moscow Kindergarten that demonstrates the various programs available to children and their parents.  With a focus on children’s interests, parents are encouraged to become involved in music and movement activities.  One program emphasizes the preservation of native languages and heritage as children make costumes and learn songs together with their parents.  During group activities, children are actively learning to communicate with each other and adults.  There is a segment on nature education that discusses the importance of visiting various biomes to learn about environments.  The narrator describes nature education as a means to recognizing one’s own beauty.  Above all, parents are encouraged to celebrate their children’s achievements.  The video gives a glimpse into education in another country.  Some aspects are very similar to high quality U.S. programs.  Other aspects, such as parental involvement are very different than most of our programs.  Certainly, the video serves to remind us that children are the same, no matter where they live!

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (1995-2011). Education for All Goals. Retrieved October 22, 2011, from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-all/efa-goals/

                                                                     

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2004, October). The Early Childhood Workforce in 'Developed' Countries Basic Structures and Education. Retrieved October 22, 2011, from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001374/137402e.pdf