Professional Contact Part 3

For my first time visiting the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), I thought it would be beneficial to become knowledgeable about this organizations mission and vision. This mission of UNESCO values the development that occurs during the early years of life. As development and learning matures, the UNESCO assists with the transition into formal school through interconnecting approaches of social development, gender equity, and poverty deduction. As a leader in international policy, the UNESCO supports a holistic well-being through policies that encourage solid cornerstones in lifelong learning in children. The UNESCO also strives to provide high-quality learning for all children.

                Viewing the site further, it was easy to find this organizations’ view on equity and access, quality, and investments. In equity and access, the UNESCO agrees that our nations’ most vulnerable populations need access to quality education. The Jomtien Declaration for Education for All established in 1990 and the Dakar Framework for action furtherance the crucial notion of how learning begins at birth and the essence of early childhood care and education is foremost in healthy development.

                UNESCO states some valuable characteristics of attending high-quality programs including: motivation, confidence, and school readiness. The UNESCO recommends that achieving this status of quality includes parent relationships/partnerships, professional development, and practice of theory. Not only does quality apply to the program and professionals, but also to the materials and experiences exposed to young learners.

                The UNESCO advocates for the government to recognize early childhood care as a meaningful component of basic education through policies. This approach could possibly increase funding and access to quality programs for families dealing with poverty who could otherwise not afford these resources.

                As an added insight, the UNESCO is attempting to coordinate and integrate early childhood care and education policies and implementation across national and local and public and private sectors. I find this to be interesting. Doing so would be one step into ensuring quality care for all children. I am going to continue to follow this site in hopes of keeping abreast of the positive outcomes and effective implementation of policy, research, and practices that this organization is a part.

Reference: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/