Myrna Bernard (left), director, human resource development, CARICOM Secretariat, Bertrand Bainvel (centre), UNICEF representative in Jamaica, and Kwame Boafo, director, UNESCO office for the Caribbean, meet with each other shortly after Wednesday's Caribbean launch of the 'Education For All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report 2007', at the Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

With 98 per cent of Jamaican children having access to basic schools, the nation has topped the Caribbean in the provision of early childhood education, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO) 'Education For All (EFA) 2007 Report'.

However Sian Williams, Caribbean early childhood advisor to UNICEF, said on Wednesday that, while Jamaica provides enough basic schools, the system lacks First World infrastructure. "There are more licensed rum bars in Jamaica than there are licensed basic schools," Ms. Williams said during the Caribbean launch of the EFA 2007 Report at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston. She added that basic schools in Jamaica represent more of a "custodial service" for children, allowing their parents to go to their jobs.

Virtually untrained

She pointed to studies which have revealed that teachers at the basic school level are more like caregivers because they are virtually untrained. She also said the Jamaican Government has not been providing sufficient capital for the development of these facilities.

In this regard, Maxine Henry-Wilson, Minister of Education and Youth, highlighted a number of initiatives that the ministry has been embarking on for improvement. Among these is a programme to streamline all early childhood institutions and to standardise facilities and services. She also mentioned that plans are being made to register these schools.

The 2007 report titled, 'Strong Foundations', focuses on early childhood care and education and evaluates countries' provision of such services.<