Early Childhood Education Ethiopia’s Post

🚀 Empowering Parents Through Perinatal Education 🚀 I'm excited to share a snapshot from my recent work with parents of children under 3 years old, emphasizing the pivotal role of perinatal educators. Perinatal education equips parents with essential knowledge and skills, fostering better health outcomes for both mother and child. This, in turn, strengthens family bonds and community resilience, enabling societies to adapt to social, economic, and environmental challenges. Who are Perinatal Educators? They are professionals providing crucial educational support during pregnancy and a child's first year, promoting responsive parenting techniques, early stimulation, and overall child development. Why is this Important? 💡 Parental Support: Offering resources and practical advice for childcare and education. 🌟 Effective Educational Practices: Educating parents on responsive techniques crucial for child development. Current Awareness: Despite their benefits, many parents are unaware of perinatal educators, and few utilize their services. Increasing awareness and utilization can significantly enhance parental support and child outcomes. Integrating pedagogical knowledge within healthcare settings is key to fostering responsive parenting. Let's work together to promote the role of perinatal educators and support our communities! #PerinatalEducation #ParentalSupport #ChildDevelopment #CommunityHealth #ResponsiveParenting

Are we ready for this child? Defining and operationalizing Early Childhood Education Ethiopia's PK-16 or birth to 21 approach. At what point should support be offered to early learners? Early care, development, and education start in the womb, with research indicating that fetuses can detect and react to external noises during the last three months of pregnancy. Research has also shown that infants can recognize and prefer their parents' voices shortly after birth. Given this knowledge of early childhood development, it is essential to establish a comprehensive support system, especially in rural communities across Ethiopia addressing the need for prenatal care through adolescence to obtain the best possible learning and developmental outcome for all children. What measures can be taken to provide children with the right foundation to reach their early learning, developmental, and personal goals throughout their lives? A multifaceted approach involving families, communities, and institutions is required to support children across the country, focused on rural communities. Supportive and protective factors can be built around children by implementing comprehensive early childhood education programs, access to quality healthcare, and creating safe nurturing environments at home, schools, and communities. Empowering strong social connections, promoting positive parenting practices, and providing mental health support to children and caregivers can significantly contribute to children’s resilience and long-term success. In this new year, Early Childhood Education Ethiopia is furthering its organizational goals by prioritizing the PK-16 approach through several projects. You can contribute to this effort by supporting and promoting the implementation of a PK-16 framework in practical applications, policy development, and advocacy initiatives. Let's be ready for every child! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g4FaNyuP #earlyeducationethiopia #alearnerreadygeneration #earlyeducation #ruralcommunity #indigenousknowledge

🌍How are children in the next 1,000 days faring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? The New Lancet Series explores the impact of nurturing environments on child development in the next 1,000 days (ages 2 to 5) and the costs of inaction. Join the webinar launch 📆 November 19 🕗 8:00 AM ET https://lnkd.in/dY5SXSaT #Next1000Days #EarlyYears #ChildDevelopment #GlobalHealth

🌍 How are children in the next 1,000 days faring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? The New Lancet Series explores the impact of nurturing environments on child development in the next 1,000 days (ages 2 to 5) and the costs of inaction. Join the launch webinar on November 19 at 8:00 AM ET RSVP now. https://lnkd.in/dPjG6-nZ #Next1000Days #EarlyYears #ChildDevelopment #GlobalHealth

As we continue to explore innovative solutions for improving early childhood development, a recent study has caught my attention. This research offers some surprising insights. This study tested automated phone calls providing parenting advice to caregivers in India. The intervention saw strong participation, with over two-thirds of caregivers completing at least 10 calls. But the results weren't what you would expect. - The calls didn't significantly improve caregivers' knowledge or interactions with their children. - Caregivers' confidence decreased, and their anxiety levels increased. - No significant impact on children's development and language skills. Why Didn't It Work? - Pacing issues: Caregivers completed the program at their own pace, leading to inconsistent learning. - One-Size-Fits-All approach: Lack of age-specific advice reduced relevance. - Shallow focus: Limited depth on crucial child development topics. - Missing interactive elements: No engaging activities or games to reinforce learning. This study is a powerful reminder of the complexities involved in scaling parenting practices through technology. It underscores the need for thoughtful design and continuous adaptation to truly support families. https://lnkd.in/g4Nw5tpb

In Kenya, the "return to school policy" was introduced by the government in 1994 to facilitate the re-entry of pregnant girls and teenage mothers into the education system post childbirth. This initiative, also known as the "re-entry policy," is outlined in the "National School Re-Entry Guidelines" released by the Ministry of Education in 2020. Key Points on the Kenyan Return to School Policy: - Focus on Teenage Mothers: The policy's primary objective is to provide support to pregnant girls and young mothers who had to discontinue their education due to pregnancy, enabling them to resume and complete their studies. - Unconditional Readmission: Schools are required to readmit teenage mothers unconditionally, even facilitating transfers to different institutions to prevent any stigmatization they might face. - 2020 Guidelines: The "National School Re-Entry Guidelines," updated in 2020, formalized and enhanced the re-entry policy, aiming to address any existing gaps and ensure broader access for all learners who had to leave school for various reasons. - Challenges in Implementation: Despite the existence of the policy, challenges persist in its effective implementation. Concerns include potential social stigma encountered by teenage mothers and the insufficient support systems within schools to assist them adequately.

Excited to celebrate the Day of the African Child today! The International Day of the African Child, also known as the Day of the African Child (DAC), has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the OAU Organisation of African Unity. In Kenya, childcare faces significant challenges despite efforts to improve its quality and accessibility. Research has shown that only a small percentage of children under five years have access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) services, with rural areas and informal settlements disproportionately affected. Additionally, the World Bank Report 2014 emphasizes the lack of coordination among various stakeholders, leading to fragmented service delivery and limited impact. This fragmented approach contributes to the existing gap in childcare that requires a national dialogue. To support the advocacy efforts of organizations at the forefront of national campaigns and to raise awareness about the importance of prioritizing quality services for young children, evidence and data from childcare providers on the ground is key. This week, I joined the Early Childhood Development Network For Kenya (ECDNeK) and The African Early Childhood Network (AfECN)) among other stakeholders in sensitizing the media on key childcare messages crucial for increasing public awareness about the importance of prioritizing child care. The theme of this year's campaign is “Universal access to quality child care and protection for children 0-5 years”. #DAC2024 #childcare #SustainableEconomies https://lnkd.in/dp3Br9nQ

It’s important for us to build a collaborative understanding of the issues that shape the future of our children. One such issue is the urgent need to invest in early childhood development, a crucial foundation for lifelong success. In September 2024, the #ActForEarlyYears ‘Minifesto’ was launched at the United Nations – a playful yet powerful document demanding action to prioritize the early years. Today, I’m inviting you to join me in amplifying this call to action. The Minifesto highlights three key actions: 1. Universal Access to Quality Healthcare: Every child deserves essential health and child development services from pregnancy onward. 2. Free and Compulsory Preschool Education: A right for every child, laying the groundwork for future learning and success. 3. Support for Families: Affordable childcare, benefits, and resources to help parents and caregivers raise happy, healthy children. To make this a reality, the campaign calls for: 📌 At least $1 billion in new funding commitments. 📌 The first-ever global finance summit focused on the early years. As a Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld , I believe in the power of collective action to drive change.So let’s continue demanding for investments that will transform lives and create a brighter future for children around the world. 🔗 Check out the Minifesto here: https://lnkd.in/dQ_7kAMs , we can engage on the comment section on what you think about it . #MombasaGirl #ElimuCare #ActForEarlyYears #Theirworld #EducationMatters #ChildhoodDevelopment

The human brain develops most between the ages of 0-6. Our CoRE program ensures critical investments in these years, fostering healthy development and reducing socio-economic disparities. Click the link to read more about the importance of early childhood development: https://lnkd.in/dREckNmM #earlychildhoodeducation #earlychildhooddevelopment #childdevelopment #earlyyearsmatter