DR. ST. AUBYN Bartlett, Member of Parliament for Eastern St. Andrew and Opposition Spokesman on Education, has called for urgent steps to be taken to help unrecognized basic schools to achieve legitimate status. He notes that it has long been recognized that the future of the nation was greatly dependent on the development of the early childhood education system.
Dr. Bartlett stressed, "We must act urgently to ensure that the unrecognized basic schools are assessed and assisted to achieve recognised status. Every community throughout the length and breadth of this country must have only recognised basic schools to provide our children with a good head start".
Speaking recently in the 2004/05 Sectoral Debate at Gordon House, Dr. Bartlett commended the creation of the Early Childhood Commission and urged the government to provide the Commission with the tools to do its job.
He also called for early childhood centres or basic schools to be included in the national school feeding programme, as well as for the fast tracking of the licensing requirement for early childhood centres and compulsory training and certification of caregivers.
EARLY ASSESSMENT
Dr Bartlett added, "The Ministry must establish specialist early childhood education officers to monitor and assess early childhood facilities similar to what obtains in the primary and secondary school system".
However, Dr. Madge Linton, Assistant Chief Education Officer for Early Childhood at The Ministry of Education told The Gleaner that there are about 70 education officers who carry out such duties suggested by Dr. Bartlett.
Dr. Bartlett cited the early childhood "Head-Start" programme in Alabama, United States as a model concept, where children two to five years in every community are collected and transported to the "Head Start Centre', which was set up like the home environment, where in addition to academics and learning aids, children are provided with breakfast and lunch.
He believes that "we owe it to our country and our people to provide our children with a good head start, which will have a lasting effect on their future".
