GEARING THE INFANTS

The involvement of the University of the West Indies in the field of Early Childhood Education, through carefully programmed courses at its School of Continuing Studies, will, even as it sets needed standards for the teachers themselves, lead to pre-school graduates entering primary school better geared to adjusting to the formal world of school work.

It will bring a sense of pride and commitment to the teaching of infants below the age of five, with many of the teachers viewing themselves for the first time as professionals, rather than as doing a job, because they may see themselves as ill-prepared to do anything else. The truth, however, is that all too many of the teachers involved in Early Childhood Education today, because they are unqualified and ill-equipped, do immeasurable harm to the children whose minds they are expected to develop. Some of them are drop-outs from the education system, and are not in a position to make a meaningful contribution to the educational development of the pre-school children. Many of the “teachers” find difficulty in spelling simple words, cannot form proper sentences, have a problem with syntax, as well as with the pronunciation of words. In the process they pass on all the minuses to the children they are expected to help. One of the reasons, however, why “teaching” at pre-schools has not attracted the better-equipped is the relatively low pay offered. Indeed, up to a year ago, there were pre-school teachers who were paid as little as $900 a month, and because they were expected to remain at the institution until parents came to collect their children, were in essence being paid below the legislated minimum wage.

A more appealing salary structure to complement the Early Childhood Educators course being offered by the UWI School of Continuing Studies, will in the medium and long term attract persons who will clearly be better motivated. It should be made clear, however, that salary is not the only motivating factor in attracting persons to the teaching of pre-school children. There are instances where individuals who are both community minded and qualified help out on a voluntary basis at these centres. But the UWI School of Continuing Studies pre-school courses will assist in placing pre-school teaching on a higher and more acceptable plateau. Sixty-eight students were expected to graduate on Friday from the Early Childhood Educators programme, including seven from Grenada, St Lucia and St Kitts. The backlog, however, of teachers needing to be trained is formidable. What is heartening though is the involvement of the students from the three other Caribbean islands, which lends a CARICOM flavour to the exercise, a knowledge that the territories recognise that there is a problem and are prepared to deal with it. Government provides funding for salaries for pre-school teachers, but this should be upgraded if more persons are to be encouraged not only to pursue the UWI School of Continuing course, but to remain and/or seek employment at existing child development centres. In addition, there is a need for the physical structures of some of the schools to be upgraded, and for cleaners to be appointed on a part-time basis to tidy up the centres at the end of the day.