EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMISSION

Before the new year approaches, we find ourselves celebrating Christmas Day. My toes curl and my heart in leaping. It is hard to explain, but the song writer was correct: “It is the most wonderful time of the year.” We have been through so much this year but we are still standing strong and we must be thankful. The best way to show how thankful I am, is to add you to my Christmas List.

• For the children, I wish for you hope and a spirit of resilience and determination to keep pressing on. Always remember a brighter future for this nation begins with you.

• For the Early Childhood Teachers, Practitioners and Caregivers who defied the odds and embraced the Virtual Learning platform, I wish for you strength, creativity and patience.

• For our country Jamaica, my wish is the same as yours, I wish for a safe country.

• For those who lost a love one during the COVID-19 pandemic, I wish for you peace and comfort. 

Try to make the most of what you have this Christmas season. Please return the favour by adding someone else to your wish list. It is by far better to give than to receive.

Guest Blogger: Sophia Stewart, Development Officer

Image: http://www.freepik.com

Responses from Principals

The principals of Early Childhood Institutions were asked to complete an online survey that sought to measure the impact of COVID-19 on ECD programmes and assess the training needs of practitioners. A total of 567 principals responded to the Principals’ Survey.

72.5% reported that they are principals of Basic Schools.

7.6 % indicated that they are principals of Infant Departments and 6.7 % indicated that they are principals of Kindergarten and prep schools.

77.1% principals were aware of the distance learning prior to COVID-19 outbreak.

42% indicated that they learnt about distance learning via the internet.

28.2% indicated that they learnt about distance learning from watching television and 13.6% from interactive sessions.

According to the results, majority of principals (95.2%) indicated that their ECIs’ provided remote curriculum instructions for parents and children to follow.

The survey also revealed that 94.5% of principals uses WhatsApp to provide remote curriculum instructions and activities.

Based on the nature of the responses, it was further revealed that principals used more than one medium to provide curriculum instructions and activities. Other popular mediums included emails, Google classroom, Zoom and ECC website.

72.3% of principals indicated that learning instructions is sent to parents daily, 8.1 indicated instructions were sent once per week, 8% twice per week and 5.4% every other day.

64% principals indicated that their staff have the technical skills to integrate digital services in curriculum instructions. However, majority of principals indicated that their staff needed additional training in ICT and Curriculum.

June 2020

Responses from Practitioners

A total of 1,135 practitioners responded to the questionnaire, 97.7% were females. Majority of the practitioners (31.7%) age ranged from 30-39, 29.8% ranged from 40-49, 18.8% ranged from 5059 and 13.7% ranged from 21-29 years. 

The data revealed that majority of practitioners (47.5%) were trained at the vocational level, 25.6% were trained at the Bachelors level, while 20.4% indicated that they had a Diploma in Education.  

97.5% practitioners revealed that they were providing remote curriculum instructions from students, this is in comparison to 95.2% of principals who indicated that their ECIs’ provided remote curriculum instructions for parents and children. The data also revealed that most practitioners (95.2%) uses WhatsApp as the primary medium for communicating with parents. 16.4% indicated that they used Zoom and 18.8 % indicated that they used the ECC Website.  

The findings also revealed that, 74.5 % practitioners compared to 72.3% of principals indicated that learning instructions is sent to parents on a daily, while 7.1% indicated instructions were sent once per week, 7.7% every other day and 6.8% twice per week.

Based on the interactions with children on an online platform 83.3% practitioners indicated that students are making progress, some practitioners however expressed concerns about parents completing assignments for children.  

Majority of practitioners 81.3% indicated that they have the technical skills to integrate digital services in curriculum instructions. However, 19%   indicated that they did not have the technical skills to integrate digital services in curriculum instructions and would require additional training in Information Communication Technology (ICT), for example, Zoom, Google Classroom and Microsoft Office.

92.7% practitioners were aware of the Activity Plans posted on the ECC Website. However,

84.8% indicated that they shared the activity plans posted on the ECC Website with parents. 

49.8% of practitioners indicated that they only had internet access on their cell phones, 46.2% revealed that they had unlimited broadband access and 2% had no internet access. 

RESPONSES FROM PARENTS

A total of 3,003 parents responded to the questionnaire, 93.6% were females. Majority of the parents aged ranged from 30-39 and 40.2% ranged from 21-29.

The findings revealed that 97.8% of parents had children between the ages of 0-8 years old. Majority of parents 94.2% indicated that their child received educational activities from their ECI. 95.4% revealed that WhatsApp was the primary medium used for communication between parents and teachers. Seventeen percent indicated that their child’s teacher communicated via zoom and 6% indicated that they were referred to the ECC website for activities.

Majority of parents 52.6% indicated that they only had internet access via their cell phones. 52% indicated that they had limited data access to use the internet. 78.4% found the current method of communication to be effective to their child’s progress.

53.7% parents indicated that they are very satisfied with the method of communication used by the child’s ECI.

June 2020

As a continuation from last week’s blog, this article outlines further protocols for activities at ECIs based on the Reopening Early Childhood Institutions For Children Ages 0-5 Specific Protocols document which can be found on the ECC’s website.

Protocols for Keeping Children Safe

• ECIs should thoroughly clean and sanitize shelves, storage boxes, chairs, desks, toys, door knobs, stationery, potty, and any high-touch/easily accessible items/areas etc. at least twice a day.
• All bathrooms should be cleaned and disinfected regularly throughout the day, multiple times throughout the day
• Mats should be cleaned and sanitised after each use
• High-touch areas on swing sets, monkey bars, see-saws, play houses, etc. should be cleaned daily
• Cleaning products should not be used near children, and staff should ensure that there is adequate ventilation when using these products to prevent children from inhaling toxic fumes
• Cleaning products should be safely stored away from children’s access, as required by ECC Standards
• Children’s clothes should be changed if they become soiled and hands should be washed immediately after. Soiled clothes should be placed in a plastic bag and washed as soon as possible
• Workers to supervise and hold bottles for infants who are not yet able to hold their own bottle to reduce the risk of choking.
• ECI workers should use blankets or cloths over clothing when holding infants and toddlers and they should change the blankets or cloths used between children.
• Children must not share food, feeding utensils, soothers, bottles, sippy cups, etc. These items should be labeled with the child’s name to discourage accidental sharing.

We continue to encourage the public to visit the MoHW website https://www.moh.gov.jm/ and the ECC website https://ecc.gov.jm/ for more information.

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This blog post follows the series on reopening ECIs safely during the COVID-19 outbreak. The information outlined in this post is taken directly from the Reopening Early Childhood Institutions For Children Ages 0-5 Specific Protocols document which can be found on the ECC’s website.

Protocols for Activities at Early Childhood Institutions to Keep Children Safe:

• For gate/entrance pick-up and drop-off of children
• 1-2 employees should operate child pick-up and drop-off by escorting all children to and from their classroom
• ECIs should limit parent and visitor entry into the facility
• Children should be observed for signs or symptoms of illness, such as cough, sore throat, flushed cheeks fatigue or extreme fussiness.
• Temperature should be taken of ill children and they should be isolated immediately until parents can collect the child.
• Records and logs of the child’s temperature and symptoms taken each day
• Children should be frequently supervised while sanitising and/or washing their hands throughout the day
• ECIs should have fun and engaging daily hygiene lessons to teach children:
  • how to wash their hands properly for 20 seconds
  • how to use sanitizer
  • how to cough or sneeze into their elbow or into a tissue which is discarded into a closed bin
  • how to wash their hands and/or sanitise immediately after coughing or sneezing;
  • how to avoid touching mouth, eyes and nose
  • how to avoid touching other children and their belongings
• ECIs should eliminate center-wide family events and field trips
• Children must not be allowed to share toys they can put in their mouth, as required by ECC
• standards
• Personal toys that are mouthed should be taken home daily for cleaning
• Toys that are accidentally mouthed must be washed and disinfected, as required by ECC standards
• ECIs should remove toys that cannot be sanitized, example, stuffed animals, fabric toys, cardboard puzzles etc.
• ECIs should discard sensory play items, such as cornmeal and water, after single use.
• ECIs should temporarily eliminate the use of play dough and sand pits
• ECIs should eliminate high contact sports or activities such as hand games
• Each group of children should have designated equipment (e.g., balls, loose equipment) or equipment should be cleaned and sanitised between group use.

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It is always easy to highlight the problems we currently face in the education system, but we have made strides in moving beyond the problems to find solutions. Teachers are no longer bounded by a physical space when it comes to teaching and learning. The learning environment is no longer limited to a parish or even Jamaica, and this is nothing to fear but rather an era to explore.

Many educators would never have imagined facilitating children virtually, but it is now happening. Some might have truly believed they were incapable, but that just emphasizes the I CAN in the word Jamaican. As Jamaicans, we are resilient and we continue to defy the odds.

So, do not be surprised when you hear an Early Childhood Teacher will meet their students via WhatsApp, Zoom or Google. Do not be surprised when you hear that work is being dropped off early mornings or late afternoons for students- No child will be left behind are the lyrics we embrace with harmony and melody.

Let’s all partner with a school today and be a spark that ignites the torch of HOPE for tomorrow’s leaders.

Guest Blogger – Sophia Stewart, Development Officer

Today’s blog is a continuation of the Reopening ECIs – Protocols for Children and Families blog post which was published last week. This article outlines the recommended guidelines for children and families as they are outlined in the Reopening Early Childhood Institutions For Children Ages 0-5 Specific Protocols document.

Recommended Guidelines for Children and Families

• Children who are 3-5 years of age should not wear masks. It is not practical.
• ECIs may recommend to the parents of children who are over five (5) years old that their child wear a cloth mask and provide information on when masks can be removed.
• Parents are to equip their children with personal wipes and sanitizers and educate them on how to use these items.
• Parents should avoid bringing non-essential items from home to reduce cross contamination.
• Parents should bring a change of shoes for their child to wear indoors. Shoes that are worn to the school should, upon arrival be bagged and stored for outdoor use only.
• The same parent/guardian should do drop offs and pick-ups daily, if possible.
• ECIs should stagger arrival and drop off times so that contact between parents is limited.
• Parents should not enter the school building.
• Teachers should receive children outside of the school building.
• Parents should be physically distant in a line in a space designated by the school, outside of the building, to collect their children.
• Parents should pack extra clothing in case of soiling.
• After-care children, that is, children from other schools who attend day-care after basic or pre-school should be separated from the main groups.
• Equipment that is required for children’s day to day use (e.g. mobility or feeding devices, weighted blankets, headphones) should be cleaned and disinfected at drop off and pick up, and should not be used by anyone other than the designated child.

We continue to encourage the public get regular updates from the MOHW at https://www.moh.gov.jm/ and from the ECC at https://ecc.gov.jm/ for relevant information on ECD, including the full Reopening Early Childhood Institutions for Children Ages 0-5 Specific Protocols document.

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