The global challenge in early childhood education; a lost generation of future makers

UNICEF published a report showing that 40 million children miss out on early education in the critical pre-school year due to covid-19. This is a significant setback for education and has long-term effects on the individual, society, and global levels. “Education disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are preventing children from getting their education off to the best possible start,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Childcare and early childhood education build a foundation upon which every aspect of children’s development relies. The pandemic is putting that foundation under serious threat.” Early childhood education has a super important role in building the foundation for the child’s later learning. Now, in many countries, this foundation is, if not broken, seriously damaged. We should take this seriously and do all we can to get children back to education.

However, we should not use covid-19 as an excuse for not doing important things. Even in this challenging situation, we can prioritize actions that have the most significant effect on the future. Education is one of those. We need to act with the information we have today, with the resources we have and focus on things that can positively impact children’s lives in this situation.

We should,

1. Ensure that quality education and care are available in remote and in-class settings for the youngest ones.
   

2. Be open to new ways of doing things in early education, experiment, and learn fast.
   

3. Work together as parents, teachers, and principals for the benefit of the children.
   

4. Provide all possible opportunities for children to learn and experience
   

5. Do all we can to keep early education available

Children are the future makers. Let’s not lose any of them. Writer: Taina Mikkola, CEO of HelsinkiNYC International Ltd, creator of TinyApp solution Read more from the UNICEF publications: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/40-million-children-miss-out-early-education-critical-pre-school-year-due-covid-19

https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/1109-childcare-in-a-global-crisis-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-work-and-family-life.html