Early childhood education is a crucial step in a child’s educational journey. This paper begins with a history of early childhood education programs in the United States, from the Head Start program to public and private programs. A child’s participation in a quality early education program is essential to mental, social and academic development, as is evident in the research of several successful model programs. The Abecedarian Project, Perry Preschool Program, Chicago Child-Parent Center, and Abbot Preschool Program provide an excellent evidence base for the benefits of early childhood education. Research of these projects show improvement in several areas, some of which are literacy, grade retention, cognitive skills, self-esteem, and high school graduation rates. There are currently several options for early childhood education ranging from the Head Start program to public school programs, to private options. The cost and benefits associated with each program differ widely across the range of available options. This paper concludes with recommendations for making early childhood education available for more children by making improvements to current programs and increasing funding.
A day care center is not just any place where children can spend their day while parents are at work. How to ensure that children have good childhood experiences and how to sup-port their positive development from the very beginning of their educational career? In this study, we introduce the concept of love-based leadership and discuss its role and implemen-tation in early education. Love-based leadership in early education is a method that renews teachers’ professional skills. The Finnish early childhood education system offers favorable premises for love-based leadership in early education. The method should also be included in the curriculum of future early childhood education teachers.
BACKGROUND: Several West African countries are unlikely to achieve the recommended Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) immunisation coverage and dropout targets in a landscape beset with entrenched intra-country equity gaps in immunisation. Our aim was to assess and compare the immunisation coverage, dropout and equity gaps across 15 West African countries between 2000 and 2017. METHODS: We compared Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) and the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) containing vaccine coverage between 2000 and 2017 using the WHO and Unicef Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage for 15 West African countries. Estimated subregional median and weighted average coverages, and dropout (DTP1-DTP3) were tracked against the GVAP targets of ≥90% coverage (BCG and DTP3), and ≤10% dropouts. Equity gaps in immunisation were assessed using the latest disaggregated national health survey immunisation data. RESULTS: The weighted average subregional BCG coverage was 60.7% in 2000, peaked at 83.2% in 2009 and was 65.7% in 2017. The weighted average DTP3 coverage was 42.3% in 2000, peaked at 70.3% in 2009 and was 61.5% in 2017. As of 2017, 46.7% of countries (7/15) had met the GVAP targets on DTP3 coverage. Average weighted subregional immunisation dropouts consistently reduced from 16.4% in 2000 to 7.4% in 2017, meeting the GVAP target in 2008. In most countries, inequalities in BCG, and DTP3 coverage and dropouts were mainly related to equity gaps of more than 20% points between the wealthiest and the poorest, high coverage regions and low coverage regions, and between children of mothers with at least secondary education and those with no formal education. A child's sex and place of residence (urban or rural) minimally determined equity gaps. CONCLUSIONS: The West African subregion made progress between 2000 and 2017 in ensuring that its children utilised immunisation services, however, wide equity gaps persist.
Oghenebrume Wariri, Bassey Effiom Edem, Esin Nkereuwem et al.
Play is an essential form of communication and learning for children, allowing them to reproduce their daily lives, develop reflection, autonomy and creativity. Through play, children face fears and insecurities, interact socially and build knowledge in a playful way. This study highlights the importance of playing in child development, showing that playful activities are fundamental to both mental and body development. In addition, play helps in socialization, respect for rules and development of imagination. Early childhood education should incorporate the playful as an integral part of the teaching process, promoting significant and pleasurable learning.
Elitânia da Silva, Clemilde Amaral Ramos, Maria Antônia da Silva Mendes et al.
Early childhood education (ECE) is pivotal for children's development, with Lev Vygotsky and Urie Bronfenbrenner's sociocultural theory stressing social interactions and family engagement. Sociocultural principles advocate for tailored learning within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and emphasize language's role in cognitive development. However, ECE faces challenges like funding shortages and staff turnover, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sociocultural theory suggests collaborative partnerships to address these issues, stressing educator-student and family-school connections. It also advocates for community involvement to bridge financial gaps and highlights the importance of professional development for teachers. Family participation is crucial, recognizing diverse family influences and educational styles. Sociocultural theory promotes inclusive practices accommodating diverse needs, temperaments, and learning styles, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and socialization in ECE settings. Early childhood education (ECE) is pivotal for children's development, with Lev Vygotsky and Urie Bronfenbrenner's sociocultural theory stressing social interactions and family engagement. Sociocultural principles advocate for tailored learning within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and emphasize language's role in cognitive development. However, ECE faces challenges like funding shortages and staff turnover, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sociocultural theory suggests collaborative partnerships to address these issues, stressing educator-student and family-school connections. It also advocates for community involvement to bridge financial gaps and highlights the importance of professional development for teachers. Family participation is crucial, recognizing diverse family influences and educational styles. Sociocultural theory promotes inclusive practices accommodating diverse needs, temperaments, and learning styles, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and socialization in ECE settings.
Background: Low immunization and discrepancies in data sources have been a consistent challenge in Afghanistan. The objective of this was to estimate the coverage of immunization status among children of 12–23 months in urban settings of 12 provinces plus Kabul, Afghanistan in 2019. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in the capital of 12 cities of polio high‐risk provinces plus Kabul during October–December 2019. A two‐stage cluster sampling was used to approach 30 clusters and interview seven households. The coverage for 13 vaccines against 10 childhood diseases prioritized by the Afghanistan Immunization program was assessed through observation of vaccine cards or by history from caregivers of children. Epi Info v.7.2.5 was used for data management and analysis. Results: Totally, 3382 caregivers of children aged 12–23 months, of whom 50.8% were boys, were interviewed. The literacy of mothers was 35%, and 86.4% were housewives with no formal employment. The average age of children was 17.07 ± 4.05 months. In total, 1261 (37.29%) children were fully vaccinated, 833 (54.2%) were partially vaccinated, and 288 (8.52%) did not receive any dose of routine vaccine. Of total, 71.82% had vaccination cards, 17.24% had lost them, and 11% had no cards. Generally, coverage of immunization by cards and history was 91.70% for BCG, 52% for Penta, 78% for OPV‐4, 63% for PCV2, 61% for Rota2, 68.50% for measles 1, and 58% for IPV. Nangarhar and Kunar provinces have the highest and lowest immunization coverage, respectively. Lack of awareness and time was the main factor cited by partially vaccinated individuals, while misconceptions about vaccines were reported among the unvaccinated. Conclusion: Child immunization levels, varying across cities, were suboptimal in the study population. Realistic goal‐setting and awareness campaigns are necessary to address the low immunization coverage and fight against barriers in Afghanistan.
Khwaja Mir Islam Saeed, Shoaib Naeemi, Ruqia Naser et al.
At a time when national discourse in the USA centers the need for professionalization, regulation, and surveillance, this article emphasizes the ways in which neoliberal logics harm those working in early childhood education in the USA. While stakeholders at every level debate proposed solutions to the early childhood education crisis, largely related to furthering regulation, this article brings forward the voices of those doing the work and rejects the idea that neoliberal logics will lead us collectively away from a situation that they created. Guided by the tenets of critical qualitative inquiry, I use narrative inquiry to explore the stories of early childhood educators working in an underfunded, undervalued field. In this article, I highlight two resonant themes that spanned the participants’ narratives, which are related to the impacts of scarcity and surveillance in early childhood education spaces. Based on my findings, I make the claim that early childhood education professionals are strained by increased regulation and surveillance amidst an already toxic prevalence of scarcity of various forms, and that shifts to further regulate the field should consider the voices of the people working in these spaces.
Background: In developing countries various childhood diseases lead the morbidity, mortality and irreversible losses which can be prevented by proper vaccination. This study was conducted to analyse the changing trends of childhood vaccination in India and its impact on childhood diseases and mortality, the trends in coverage of each vaccine along with identification of geographical areas of concern. Materials and methods: NFHS data published by Government of India was analyzed to see the trends in vaccination coverage, female literacy, childhood diseases and under-five mortality, along with online database search for relevant literature. Results: Total vaccination coverage in India has reached to 76.4% as per NFHS- 5 data. Orissa stands at the top with 90.5% coverage while Nagaland at the bottom with 57.9% coverage. Prevalence of childhood diseases and under-five mortality has reduced overtime accountable to increase in vaccination coverage as one of the major factors for same. Conclusion: Despite improvement in total vaccination coverage, the goal of Intensified Mission Indra Dhanush of 90% coverage still remains unachieved. There is reduction in childhood disease and mortality rate, but the pandemic has adversely affected these advances. Therefore, immediate steps should be taken to gain the lost ground.
Shefalir Sheetal, Saransh Khanna, Shivam K. Shukla et al.
Background More and more research has recently focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, especially early childhood education. To the best of our knowledge, no review studies have focused on theoretical frameworks, the details of learning activities, assessment methods, outcomes, and challenges that educators encounter in early childhood education (ECE) settings.Purpose This study reports a scoping review of the literature on the characteristics of STEAM in early childhood education, synthesizing empirical studies on STEAM in ECE to understand how STEAM has been taught at the ECE level and to inform future STEAM curriculum development.Methods The electronic databases used for the literature search included Scopus and Web of Science. A total of 26 articles on STEAM in early childhood education published from 2017 to 2023.Results and Conclusion This study analysed 26 articles and found that (1) most studies adopted the frameworks provided by global educational initiatives or more local educational policy frameworks to inform their research purpose and design for promoting STEAM to develop student’s learning skills; (2) most studies used technologically enhanced learning, followed by inquiry project-based learning; (3) the learning outcomes included knowledge gain, skill acquisition by children, and attitude changes by teachers and parents; (4) mixed-research designs were most commonly used, followed by qualitative designs; and (5) the significant challenges of STEAM education in ECE settings include limited pedagogical content knowledge, negative attitudes towards teaching STEAM, and insufficient teaching guidelines and resources. This study also provides recommendations for educators and future research directions for researchers.
Jiahong Su, Iris Heung Yue Yim, Rupert Wegerif et al.
Background National immunisation programmes globally are at risk of suspension due to the severe health system constraints and physical distancing measures in place to mitigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to compare the health benefits of sustaining routine childhood immunisation in Africa with the risk of acquiring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection through visiting routine vaccination service delivery points. Methods We considered a high-impact scenario and a low-impact scenario to approximate the child deaths that could be caused by immunisation coverage reductions during COVID-19 outbreaks. In the high-impact scenario, we used previously reported country-specific child mortality impact estimates of childhood immunisation for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae , rotavirus, measles, meningitis A, rubella, and yellow fever to approximate the future deaths averted before 5 years of age by routine childhood vaccination during a 6-month COVID-19 risk period without catch-up campaigns. In the low-impact scenario, we approximated the health benefits of sustaining routine childhood immunisation on only the child deaths averted from measles outbreaks during the COVID-19 risk period. We assumed that contact-reducing interventions flattened the outbreak curve during the COVID-19 risk period, that 60% of the population will have been infected by the end of that period, that children can be infected by either vaccinators or during transport, and that upon child infection the whole household will be infected. Country-specific household age structure estimates and age-dependent infection-fatality rates were applied to calculate the number of deaths attributable to the vaccination clinic visits. We present benefit–risk ratios for routine childhood immunisation, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) from a probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Findings In the high-impact scenario, for every one excess COVID-19 death attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infections acquired during routine vaccination clinic visits, 84 (95% UI 14–267) deaths in children could be prevented by sustaining routine childhood immunisation in Africa. The benefit–risk ratio for the vaccinated children is 85 000 (4900–546 000), for their siblings (<20 years) is 75 000 (4400–483 000), for their parents or adult carers (aged 20–60 years) is 769 (148–2700), and for older adults (>60 years) is 96 (14–307). In the low-impact scenario that approximates the health benefits to only the child deaths averted from measles outbreaks, the benefit–risk ratio to the households of vaccinated children is 3 (0·5–10); if the risk to only the vaccinated children is considered, the benefit–risk ratio is 3000 (182–21 000). Interpretation The deaths prevented by sustaining routine childhood immunisation in Africa outweigh the excess risk of COVID-19 deaths associated with vaccination clinic visits, especially for the vaccinated children. Routine childhood immunisation should be sustained in Africa as much as possible, while considering other factors such as logistical constraints, staff shortages, and reallocation of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Kaja Abbas, Simon R. Procter, Kevin van Zandvoort et al.
