Program to improve early education in troubled areas launched

The government in cooperation with the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) council has launched a project that aims to improve early education for children in 36 areas affected by armed conflict, disaster, or urban challenges. The project, dubbed "Early Learning for Life," will be funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and will be implemented in collaboration with UNICEF. It will run until 2016. Helping the ECCD will be the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepEd). UNICEF Philippines Representative Tomoo Hozumi said areas covered by the program perform lower than the national average when it comes to school readiness. “If we are able to address the challenges facing children who are most deprived, we will be in a better position to ensure their growth and success. By creating an early learning model that is sensitive to their situation, we are able to offer a solution that works for all areas in the country,” he said. Meanwhile, ECCD governing board chairman Dr. Teresita Inciong stressed the importance of early childhood development. “The vital years of the child 0-6 years old should be a collective aspiration,” she said.

According to a press release from UNICEF, research has shown that 50 percent of one's learning abilities is developed in the first few years of life. In a 2009 fact sheet on early child development, the World Health Organization (WHO) said "early childhood is the most important phase for overall development throughout the lifespan," noting that many of the problems experienced by adults can be traced back to early childhood. The organization also said that brain development is most intensive during this period, and that proper stimulation and nutrition are crucial. UNICEF also pointed out  that early childhood care and development is also a child’s right, and the responsibility of parents to provide. However, they said that based on national statistics, only 78 percent of Grade 1 students have had pre-school experience. — Amanda Lago/KBK, GMA News