An alternative model of Early Childhood Education

Drop outs before completing the basic education by a large number of enrolled students is a big problem at international level. It is more worsening in Pakistan which is one of the contributing factors in increasing poverty.  In addition to dropout rate, a majority of the children have not access to education. With such a critical situation, there are public sector schools which are not welcoming and not motivating for the children who get access to education. This unwelcoming and low level motivating environment of schools also play a vital role in causing drop out rates.
Early years of children are considered important for shaping later life. The concepts formed in young minds and attitudes developed among the children are of fundamental to assimilation during the whole life.  Therefore, government of Pakistan has acknowledged the importance of the education in early years by giving focused attention to the Early Childhood Education (ECE) in the national curriculum. Globally it has also been acknowledged through Education for all (EFA) goals where one of the goals is access to education and completion of basic education.
Early childhood has been defined as the age of up to eight years from birth. It has also been observed that interventions in the education of children in early years have contributed to reducing dropout rats and enhancing motivation among the learners.  Strong foundation in the early years may help learners continuing with the academic survival skills which they need for higher grades.
Currently, ECD has been practiced as one year or two years schooling process. After that learners are moved into mainstream education of early years of main stream primary education. It is an encouraging step that at least early childhood education is provided in public sector schools. There is another programme of ECD namely four year ECD programme which may be helpful for learners to have strong foundation in terms of development in different domain namely mental, social, physical, emotional and language development.  These developmental areas are usually ignored in mainstream early education.
ECD has been conceptualized in public sector schools in Gilgit-Baltistan as where there are some children with age four or five and they are seated in a classroom which is carpeted with some cushions and on the walls there are unnecessary displays are evident. The teacher in ECD classroom is one who has not necessarily received any diploma or certificate but can control and teach alphabets in English and Urdu languages as well as counting. There is no concept of formative assessment in such type of ECD classes. Resultantly, there is no much difference seems between mainstream early primary and an ECD classroom. In true sense ECD is such that where high scope teaching is implemented through daily routine. During daily routing learners can have a practice of plan-do-review practice during which students skills of decision making, working according to their own choice and reflection are developed. There are about six areas namely language area, mathematics, science, art and home area where students can be engaged. All this is observed to be ignored in a mainstream early primary classroom.
Four year ECD programme includes four classes from ECD-I to ECD-IV where high scope teaching is implemented. Daily routine is applied and a formative assessment tool is used on daily basis in which mental, physical, social, emotional and language development is assessed by an ECD teacher with the help of an assistant ECD teacher if need arises. After completing four years of ECD, learners inter into grade 3 of the mainstream primary education. Up to then learners spend their eight years of age and can be able to participate into the learning activities which are designed and implemented by the teachers of mainstream primary teachers. This is how a welcoming environment may be created and students may be saved from dropouts or unwelcoming environment in the very early years of primary education. The subjects which are important to be taught in early classes are addressed through the concept time in a daily routine of an ECD classroom. In ECD-I there may be one or two concept times while in ECD-III and IV two to three concept times in daily routine are planned according to the need identified by the ECD teachers or school leadership.
Main problem in applying such alternative models is ignorance and shallow level of understanding among the leaders at operational level. Due to which it is usually hesitated to take decisions to apply such models in early years of schooling for children.  Educators need to orient the leaders regarding such alternative models before applying in the real situation. Orientations and deliberations will prove to be helpful in increasing the chances for successful implementation of initiatives. Resultantly, drop outs will be reduced and poverty will be decreased by increasing level of completion of basic education leading to higher education.

Broadening Horizons
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