UNESCO and Professinal Development

 

 

                UNESCO early childhood education website offers information about programs designed to improve the care and education practices around the world.  UNESCO believes that the years of early childhood lay the foundation for all learning and development.  UNESCO advocates for early childcare and education programs that attend to health, nutrition, security and learning in the hopes to provide for children’s holistic development because they realize that all areas of development are critical to the life and well-being of the child.  UNESCO organized the first World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education, which ended in the adoption of the global action agenda for early childhood named the Moscow Framework for action and Cooperation: Harnessing the Wealth of Nations. 

                UNESCO believes that early childhood is more than a preparatory stage assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling.  UNESCO recognizes that early childhood also takes place in the contexts of social development, gender equity and poverty reduction.  They aim to support early childhood policy development that builds a solid foundation for a child’s lifelong learning. 

                UNESCO follows the 1990 Jomtien Declaration for Education of All that states that learning begins at birth.  Participating countries committed themselves to expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.  Governments were encouraged by UNESCO to expand equitable access to quality early childhood services, which has not been steadily implemented in the United States.  UNESCO believes that a policy of universalization with targeting for specific groups can minimize inequity where governments aim for universal access.  I believe that UNESCO would be supportive of implementation of universal childcare based on rigid standards.

                UNESCO aims to enhance and broaden the quality of care and education for all children.  UNESCO believes that high quality care, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds provides motivation, confidence and academic development.  UNESCO advocates for learning materials and programs to be culturally and developmentally appropriate. UNESCO also advocates for the adequate training and development for early childhood professionals so that they can be the professionals they need to be.  UNESCO also recognizes that active involvement from parents and communities and relevant play and learning materials ensure that early childhood services remain relevant to the needs of the children.

                UNESCO also advocates for the coordination of early childhood services. UNESCO recognizes that the early childhood field is comprised of many different sectors and that sometimes there is not enough coordination or cooperation between services.  UNESCO advises that these sectors could be brought together into one ministry, department, or use coordination mechanisms, which can help to target and blend services from different organizations. 

                UNESCO believes that children and the early childhood years are critically important to the life of the developing person.  UNESCO advocates for quality improvement, access and equity, and coordination or higher levels of cooperation between early childhood sectors.