EDUCATIONAL materials have been distributed to public and private schools across the TCI to help boost early childhood education.
The Department of Gender Affairs within the Ministry of Home Affairs made the deliveries as part of a drive to provide a solid educational foundation for all young people.
Principals were contacted regarding this initiative and were given an opportunity to select items based on the priority needs of the individual early childhood classes.
The first presentation took place in Grand Turk and others will continue throughout the Islands next week.
The Minister with responsibility for Gender Affairs, Vaden Williams, during the distribution exercise said: “I am delighted to present the educational resources to the early childhood classroom as it would stimulate their ability to develop resilience in children as early as possible.”
Minister Williams said that by creating a consistent, secure and fair social environment, with clear expectations and predictable consequences, children can develop skills in managing themselves and their emotions.
He said: “When children are young, they are learning sponges. Every new experience, every word they learn, every behaviour they adopt, is an investment in a more fruitful future.
He further added: “Early childhood is so much more than playing. While the basic educational benefits of preschool (such as literacy and numeracy) are tangible, the advances children achieve towards becoming well-rounded individuals are truly invaluable.
“The ministry will continue in its endeavour to be a contributing factor to this advancement.
“We further believe that, early childhood education is about honing and moulding the holistic child, which will eventually form the basis of their lifelong journey and we commit to playing an integral role in this critical stage.”
The team comprised of Vaden Williams, Bridgette Newman, Acting Permanent Secretary, Director of Gender Affairs and other staff from the ministry.
