Early Childhood Education and Care
:: Policy ::
The EI World Congress in 1998 passed a Resolution on Early Childhood Education. In the resolution, it is stated that all children have a right, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to receive education and early childhood education must be considered part of this right. Apart from that, early childhood education is of great value to all children and should be available to all. It provides a sound basis for learning and helps to develop skills, knowledge, personal competencies and confidence and a sense of social responsibility. By providing a protected environment for young children it also helps to prevent child labour. The EI World Congress also passed a resolution on Promoting Quality Education in 2004
As is the case with the Higher Education and Research sector, early childhood education is one of the primary targets for initiatives aimed at the privatisation of education. While the situation differs in different countries, it is clear that there is an upward trend in the enrolment of children in private early childhood establishments. Apart from that, many early childhood education establishments in a lot of countries, although regarded as public, are in fact financed through the payment of fees by parents. It should also be noted that the proportion of children enrolled in private establishments is higher in early childhood education than in primary education.
Early Childhood Education, in order to be accessible to the largest possible number of children, needs to be organised within the framework of a free publicly-funded education service. This dual objective is far from a reality in many countries. Early childhood education cannot remain a service which is only available to the most fortunate. It must be opened up to as wide an audience as possible.
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