PROVISIONS for a national quality assurance
framework in early childhood care and education need to be developed for
children from birth up to the age of five years, Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri
Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah said yesterday.
In a
sabda during the opening of the Conference on Early Childhood Care and
Education and Regional Forum on SEAMEO Project Five (Preschool Programme for
All), HRH said that it was essential to expand education services, especially
for children below the age of five. "This is a crucial investment for our
nation's future and this form of investment requires a dynamic, developmental
process that encourages reform and innovation," said HRH. "Such a
framework should encapsulate the integration of various efforts and commitments
of relevant ministries that are responsible for welfare, health, nutrition,
care, protection and education of young children in this country, covering all
aspects of childcare."
Putting
the framework in place would also include the setting up of high quality
childcare centres to be located at work places. As parents entrust their
children to daycare centres, nurseries and other out-of-home environments, HRH
said that it was important for parents to ensure that the childcare providers
were offering quality services.
"We
must ensure that providers of childcare and education services meet proper
standards of training, qualifications, ethics and professionalism," said
HRH.
This
was especially important in caring for infants and pre-schoolers who require
specialised approaches to ensure that optimal learning and development be
achieved in an appropriate environment.
HRH
also said that it would be "expedient" to set up parenting skills
development programmes to assist parents in practising proper childcare at home
as well as educate them to be champions of childcare and education in their
communities.
"As
parents, the responsibility for our children's development is both momentous
and vastly rewarding, " said HRH, adding that as a mother of two, there
was a deep personal interest in the care and education of youngest citizens.
"I
believe that for many, especially young parents, there is so much to learn and
apply in caring for our children, that at times it can be an overwhelming
experience." HRH also stated that investing in early childhood services
was a recognised path to poverty alleviation.
HRH
expressed sadness in noting that globally more than 77 million primary
schoolchildren did not attend school and would consequently grow up as uneducated.
However,
HRH expressed pleasure that the regional forum would be able to identify
intervention programmes to ensure that all preschool children from poor to
underprivileged families get into preschools by 2015. "Whilst this path to
achieving the objective is complex and filled with challenges, we cannot afford
to leave the poor even further behind, resulting in the continous cycle of
poverty from one generation to the next," said HRH.
The
sabda also highlighted the role of the private sector in supporting initiatives
for early childhood care and education.
"Their
role is an integral part of the overall solution to ensuring that children from
poor or underprivileged families have the same opportunities as their more
fortunate peers," said HRH, who was pleased to hear that one of the local
banks has stepped forward to invest in early childhood education in terms of
funds and computers to be used by children in rural areas to develop their ICT
skills.
"I
hope this expression of support will inspire other private sector donors to
join us in investing in the care and education of our young children," she
said.
HRH was
also delighted to hear the Brunei preschool children will take part in
worldwide activities organised by their teachers which include drawing pictures
to be sent to Global Campaign for Education to be included as part of the 'Big
Picture' mosaic on early childhood.
HANA
ROSLAN
The
Brunei Times
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