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.
Broadening Horizons
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