International Contacts Part 3

Still have not received any contact back from the professional contacts that I made. So I decided to explore the website http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/access-and-equity/. The section I chose to explore was the access and equity section due to the fact that we have been focusing on this in class.  I found the following information:

The 1990 Jomtien Declaration for Education for All stated that learning begins at birth. A decade later, the 2000 Dakar Framework for Action reaffirmed the importance of early childhood by including the development of early childhood care and education as the first of its six main goals.

Participating countries committed themselves to “expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.” Governments were particularly urged to expand equitable access to quality early childhood services underscoring the importance of instituting policy in favour of the poor.

Countries often promote alternative services for poor children with limited or no access to mainstream early childhood services which can be cost-effective and pedagogically innovative, but often raise concerns about sustainability and quality.  In cases where the government has limited resources, a pro-poor policy can redistribute resources by reducing state support for the more privileged.

I also found that central governments must provide equitable resources even to those in poor living conditions.  A universal system would help eliminate that the poorer areas are receiving less funding and reduce and inequity that remains.

This situation is much like the United States.