The Third International Conference on Early Childhood Education and Care held in Batumi

Batumi, Georgia, 26-27 September 2024 – The Third International Conference on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) held in Batumi on 26-27 September brought together more than 170 participants - including government officials, representatives of embassies and international organizations, professors, researchers, early childhood education practitioners, and students to explore the theme of inclusive systems, services, and practices for every child in early years of development. The event was organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Youth of Georgia, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University and UNICEF.

The conference was opened by Merab Khalvashi, Rector of the Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Tamar Makharashvili, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, and Youth of Georgia, Maia Khajishvili, Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Hideki Ishizuka, Ambassador of Japan in Georgia, Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia and Jesper Moller, UNICEF Representative in Georgia.

The conference aimed to facilitate academic discussions on quality, access, and inclusion in early childhood education and care; support the professional development of educators at both pre-service and in-service levels and to raise public and policymaker awareness of the importance of inclusive early childhood education and care.  

“The conference represents a vital opportunity to unite our efforts and share our thinking on early childhood development, education and care which lays the foundation for cognitive, physical, social and emotional development during a crucial period of growth. Such investment yields long-term benefits, including improved educational outcomes, reduced disparities, and enhanced societal wellbeing. Georgia has made commendable strides in recognizing the significance of early childhood education and care. UNICEF is pleased to continue to partner with the Government of Georgia, the Government of Adjara Autonomous Republic, municipalities, academia and international partners including the Governments of Bulgaria, Estonia, Japan, Norway and Poland to support education reforms to expand accessibility and quality of educational services,” said Jesper Moller, UNICEF Representative in Georgia.

Conference highlights included keynote speeches by Tamar Gagoshidze, Professor of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University on inclusive early education and child wellbeing and Fabio Dovigo, Professor of Northumbria University, who spoke on the professionalization of the global ECEC workforce.

The conference featured plenary sessions, thematic panel discussions, and expert presentations focusing on cross-sectoral cooperation, equitable access to ECEC services, including for most vulnerable children, curriculum development, and bilingual education.

Four pre-conference workshops were conducted for more than 60 professionals and 30 students to provide valuable insights on promoting inclusion and diversity in early education settings. Sessions focused on improving ethnic minority children’s participation through multilingual education, curriculum evaluation for inclusive education, and tools for assessing and promoting language development in children. Workshops for professionals also covered the role of music and movement activities to support inclusive education, to enhance children's emotional, intellectual, and motor functions.

Pre-conference sessions also targeted bachelor’s level students studying early childhood education, providing them with opportunities to connect research with practice, with hands-on activities like group discussions, case analysis, and research design, enabling them to reflect on and apply research findings to improve educational practices.

Early childhood education is crucial for every child as it lays the cornerstone for further growth and development. Investments in early childhood development impacts not only the health, well-being, learning and protection of young children, but also economic growth in the country over the medium and long term.