The Editor, Sir:

For many decades the importance of early childhood was seldom advocated in Jamaica. Currently, emphasis is beginning to be placed on this critical area of the education system. However, many of the trained early childhood experts are not in the implementation process.

Unfortunately, many of the stakeholders and advisers, who are slated to begin the implementation process, do not possess early childhood training.

Early childhood education is not an area for profiling. This area is critical and needs the best trained early childhood experts. Dr. Ralph Thompson and the Rt. Hon. Edward Seaga have both made suggestions on the way forward but nobody seems to take these suggestions seriously.

Utter madnes

As an early childhood practitioner, I believe it is utter madness to abandon the trained early childhood teachers and flood early childhood institutions with secondary trained teachers. Early childhood education is not about teaching the three 'Rs'; there are other critical developmental aspects of young children.

The Ministry of Education as well as the Early Childhood Commission are using instructors and advisers who are not trained in early childhood education. They must act swiftly to correct this mess which is only making a mockery of this important area of children's development and lifelong learning.

I am, etc.,

BEVERLY P. LAMBERT

Newport P.O.,

Manchester