EARLY CHILDHOOD STAFF RETIREMENT AT 50?

Members of the Early Childhood Education fraternity in Tobago have expressed concern over a proposal that “staff may only work in ECS (Early Childhood Services) from the age of 18 to 65 years.” In fact, some persons rejected the recommendation outright. They argued that at age 65 a female teacher, as obtains in the ECS, just cannot or is unable to “cope” with these naturally hyperactive infant children.

But a strong argument was put forward that the 65-year-old pre-school teacher can still serve effectively in that capacity. “I think I have the right to work, and my work might not necessarily be running around with the child in the playground; mine might be the story-teller, or the arts person, or the needlework person, or the cook, in the Centre, because the Centre would be (the workplace),” Schools Supervisor Eleanor King argued. This query generated much debate during a consultation on Government’s proposed standards for regulating early childhood services in Trinidad and Tobago, at Works Building, Shaw Park, last week. The session brought together teachers, Board members and administrators within the early childhood services community in Tobago. King, facilitator/moderator, stressed that the ‘18-65 age limit’ clause, like one dealing with the question of persons being “fit to be in the proximity” of the toddlers, had legal implications. The recommendation was outlined at Section 2(1)(9) under the heading ‘Staffing Guidelines’; sub-heading — ‘Personal Suit-ability of Registered Providers, Edu-cators/Caregivers, and other Staff Members’, in a document titled “Draft Document for Consultation” which contained a compilation of the proposed standards that formed the basis of the discussions.

Under that same heading, on the much-debated issue of “fit” persons coming into contact with the little ones, it is proposed at Section 2(1)(1): “The Gover-nment of Trinidad and Tobago has to satisfy itself that anyone who either applies for or is registered to be an ECS provider, is ‘fit’ to do so; furthermore that any person employed or living in the premises is ‘fit to be in the proximity’ of young children.” King added “We know why we saying that we want people to be fit to be around our children. Maybe  it (the clause) needs to be clarified, but we need... all of us would want people who are ‘fit’, to deal with our children, to be in proximity with our children”, she stressed. Another consultation is to be held, in east Tobago, on Thursday. Following these consultations throughout the country, another document will be prepared, which will also be put out for public comment and another round of public consultations before the final document of standards becomes law.