Early Childhood Education helps children to reach their full potential

Birtukan Asrat, (6), lives with her family in a rural community in the Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia. Her parents have never been to school and had little money to send her to the only school that offered Early Childhood Education (ECE) services.

Birtukan adapted quickly to the learning environment and enjoyed the process. She learned how to read, write, and count numbers, and developed social skills that allowed her to make friends and learn through play. As she is progressing through the Early Childhood Education programme, she is becoming more and more confident in her abilities and has the desire to continue learning.

Just like Birtukan, other children who are enrolled in the ECE programme in this region are so excited to go to school and learn. Parents are also encouraged to enroll their children in school, seeing that children who receive Early Childhood Education are better prepared for academic and social success, which would have far-reaching implications for their individual development, their communities, and even their nation.

ECE is crucial in shaping children's development during their formative years, from birth up to the age of eight. During this period, children develop cognitive, social, emotional, language, and physical skills that prepare them for future academic and social success. Given that these early years form the foundation for all future learning, recognizing the importance of Early Childhood Education and investing in it is imperative.

Thus, the government recognized the need to promote Early Childhood Education, invested in the development of the education system with UNICEF support, and offered Birtukan and other girls and boys the chance to attend preschool.

Since the Benishangul Gumuz regional government has committed to implementing early childhood education, solid learning results are being achieved and the education system is becoming more robust. With support from UNICEF and other partners, the regional government is providing technical assistance to Early Childhood Education centres to improve the quality of interaction and conduct training for teachers. In addition, the government, in collaboration with communities, is working to construct and renovate ECE centres to make the learning environment conducive, child-friendly, and exciting.

With funding from the LEGO Foundation via Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN’s multi-donor trust fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, UNICEF has trained regional education experts to support the development of learning materials aligned with the new ECE curriculum. This approach aims to promote learning through play as a key method of content delivery. With this, teachers conduct exciting, child-focused, and interactive lessons in the classrooms and experts provide supportive supervision for teachers and school leaders. 

Eventually, children like Birtukan will advance to primary school, where they will continue to excel academically, given the solid foundation of learning that they are receiving in their early childhood years.

Birtukan is now on a path to fulfil her full potential and she aspires to become a doctor when she grows up.