Ganama, J.Z.

The following thoughts are purely based on my personal experience which is of course subject to bias.

My primary interest is in early childhood education for at-risk individuals. The ‘at-risk’ term is used loosely here to refer to individuals who are constrained in access to resources considered fundamental to thriving in contemporary society. I believe the early childhood period to be foundational for forming lifelong learning habits, and as such, should be given particular attention. I am discussing this from the perspective of a developing world.

The term ‘developing’ connotes the sense that a system has not quite evolved to the point of maturity or adequate self-sustenance in the long term, if you will. This is of course in comparison to other systems that are quite advanced. When considering global development indices, education and literacy is ranked highly in developed societies. This is not a coincidence; there is some type of association between education and societal development. I am not quite certain which spurs the other, education influencing development, vice-versa or a two-way continuum. Regardless, you will agree that this association should be investigated

The good thing about the early childhood education period is that, it is in many ways a blank canvas. It is easier to capture and remedy any handicaps at this stage than at any other stage educationally. With due diligence, children can be primed for success. However, because it is so critical, extra care must be given to ensure that the right choices are made; barrier to entry should be low and conditions for success, high. However, this is not the reality for many at-risk children. It could be due to financial constraints or lack of an adequate support system.

The cost of tuition, books, transportation to and from school, affects educational decisions. One can debatably say that in the face of more urgent needs like food and shelter, education will always get the third degree. Consider this; Maria is four years old. Maria’s mum has to choose between buying maria a new pair of slippers or a new story book. Maria may or may not have had dinner before bed today. Maria has to choose between walking several miles to school alone or helping out at home.

Additionally, a support system needs to exist for students in and out of the classroom, from the micro to the macro levels. In the classroom, teachers need to have access to good teaching materials, professional development, and adequate compensation to do their jobs effectively. To compliment their efforts, parents and guardians need to be also involved in providing a good environment for learning at home. Thirdly, but also equally important, institutions that regulate learning from the public to private sector should ensure policies promote and not prohibit early childhood learning.

Education may not be the silver bullet for development, but it is a key ingredient. For at-risk children, this education may be the difference between remaining at-risk or breaking the cycle.