EIGHT years after the establishment of the Early Childhood Commission, Early Childhood Institutions (ECIs) are still struggling with a near absence of trained teachers, low teacher/student ratios, and an attendant teaching quality that is below average.

To its credit, the Commission implemented a standardised integrated curriculum and has introduced a system of standards with which each ECI has to comply in order to be registered. However, the cry from stakeholders is that the support services remain inadequate.

At the inaugural Parliament on Early Childhood Education hosted by Shortwood Teachers’ College two Thursdays ago, chairman of the Joint Board on Teacher Education Dr Rose Davies criticised the implementation and delivery of the curriculum.

She shone light on the fact that most ECIs had only one trained teacher, and that there were instances of “too much emphasis on writing lesson plans” and not enough quality implementation.

She stressed that the teachers themselves needed to be trained in the new curriculum, saying that a “quality curriculum needs a qualified workforce to achieve quality developmental outcomes”.

Seasoned educator Ludlow Thompson added his voice to the dissent, arguing that workforce development and a quality reward system were crucial to making early childhood the “best option for the most qualified”.

“The focus has to be continuous development for all,” he said.

Davies and Thompson were among the early childhood ‘parliamentarians’ who made presentations on the day, even as the nation’s elected members of Parliament were arriving at Gordon House — the nation’s seat of power — for its official opening for the 2012-2013 year.

Under the auspices of the Shortwood Foundation, the 126-year-old teachers’ college, “committed to growth and enlightenment”, gathered a strong cross section of the island’s early childhood practitioners and administrators for a ratiocination of the educational landscape at that level.

Speaker of the ‘House’, Director of Early Childhood Programmes, Beverly Whyte guided the proceedings, which also featured director of sector support at the Early Childhood Commission Michelle Campbell, who spoke on curriculum implementation and delivery; Richard Williams, manager of the early childhood development services at the commission, who addressed monitoring and supervision of ECIs; and Dr Christopher Clarke whose presentation was billed Teacher Quality: Training and Certification.

As bleak as the situation, however, the Commission maintained that it wasn’t all bad.

For her part, Campbell believes that the fact that there is “one development officer to 53 institutions” is manageable, much to the ire of many ‘parliamentarians’. Indicating that the commission was about to shift into review mode, she continued by highlighting that sample lesson plans for the new integrated curriculum where now in the hands of practitioners awaiting implementation and feedback.

Williams, armed with sector statistics, informed that each parish had an operational resource centre and a supervisor in the six regional offices. Explaining that the 2004 Act of Parliament established the commission and that sector support began in 2010, he added that to ensure effective supervision “12 standards are inspected annually”. He continued that contact is maintained with the 8,800 practitioners islandwide through cluster meetings and transmitting developmental material.

Acting Chief Education Officer Clement Radcliffe, representing the Minister of Education, reiterated the commitment of the ministry to improving the system. Citing the recently launched model ECI in Top Hill, Clarendon — Evelyn Mitchell Infant School — he told the House that other resource centres of excellence will be rolled out in short order.

The parliament also benefited from the ‘sectoral’ presentations of Dr Christopher Clarke, executive partner of Parenting Partners Caribbean Janet Brown and Freda Thomas on the coordination of the sector.

The speaker gave permission that the House be converted into committees and the round-table discussions were had, the results of which were recorded for transmission to the Honourable Minister Ronald Thwaites. The consensus of the parliament was that the discussions should aid in bridging the gap between policy formulation and implementation.

“We are not going to make it as broken pieces, ” Principal of Shortwood Teachers’ College Elaine Foster-Allen challenged those present.

Pointing to the fact that what seemingly was a policy shift resulted in many experienced professionals being sidelined from the system, she added. This has “created a chasm and dissonance in the system”.

In obvious reference to comments from the ‘parliamentarians’ she said it was tantamount to “teifing from the children”, as the result of the removal of quality institutional knowledge from the system can only be to the detriment of the pupils.

“Send a serious message, stop the nonsense,” Foster-Allen charged.