On November 24, 2018, the network for early childhood development in Roma community in Bulgaria (coordinated by the Trust for Social Achievement) presented two panel discussions under the common title "How to Get an Early Start on Building Skills for the future":
How can the private sector support the development of future skills from an early age? This panel examines the ways in which early education builds the skills of tomorrow and how the private sector can support children's learning at an early age.
- Jost de Laath, Professor of Economics at the University of Utrecht, stressed the need for children to develop socio-emotional and cognitive skills early, as research has shown that the demand for people with skills to perform non-routine analytical and interpersonal tasks is increasing. It is the non-routine tasks that require the possession of well-developed socio-emotional and cognitive abilities. The good news is that these capabilities can be developed with increased through investment in early education.
- Yost stressed that parents and education are not mutually substitutable, and that our society – including the private sector – should as a priority encourage the involvement of parents in activities with children after they have entered nursery school or kindergarten.
- Gabriel Birish, director of Reddy Neshen Romania (Ready Nation Romania), presented his experience in building an advocacy network in favour of early education among the private sector in our northern neighbor. Gabriel said that raising awareness among businesses about the importance of early education is key to engaging support for the cause.
- With the help of representatives of the Bulgarian business community (Veneta Ilieva, member of the Board of Directors of the Trust for Social Achievement; Boris Kolev from CSR Bulgaria; and Ventsislava Nikolova from the “Econt“ Foundation) inspired us about some of the ways in which the private sector in Bulgaria supports the development of children from an early age. There are three main categories of support: supporting initiatives to raise public awareness of the benefits of early education; supportingpublic policies that increase investment in early education; and supporting staff with children in order for them to be engaged parents. The specific ideas of the panelists are summarized in a document which you will find at the link below.
Teaching with an awarenessof poverty: how does early education build the skills of the future in the context of poverty? In this panel we discussed the possibilities of kindergartens to overcome the detrimental consequences of poverty, which is a reality for a third of the children growing up in Bulgaria.
- We presented the book "Teaching with Poverty in Mind”, by author Eric Jensen, the brochure “How does poverty affect children? ', with Author Reyn Hrvatska, and the video Teacher, What Tells of a Croatian teacher, embodying many of the attitudes and behaviors described in the two books. Below you will find a link to these resources.
- The directors of four kindergartens illustrated the authors' advice with examples. Milena Paskova, director of the "Izizvor" village of Hadzhidimitrovo, municipality of Tundzha, described support that the municipality gave to children and their families during their early education. Desislava Boshnakova, director of DG Children's World in thetown of Gorna Oryahovitsa, shared the her organization’s experience building a better relationship between the community and the educational institution through the shared planning and realization of the anniversary celebration of the garden. Nadezhda Mincheva, director of DG "Firefly" in the town of Shumen, told an inspiring story about the annual operetta, in preparation for which children learn important skills and self-confidence. Dimitrinka Atanasova, Director of DG 11 "Bell" in Obzor Targovishte, explained how children in kindergarten can become more creative, solve problems, and collaborate through structured games.
- Vanya Traykova, a chief expert in the "content of pre-school and school education" at the Ministry of Education and Science, stressed the need for increased public investment in early education and urged educational institutions to use the full set of instruments and funding provided by the new Pre-School and School Education Act. She emphasized the inclusion of more children in early education and opportunities for professional development of the cadres as priorities at European level.
- The Forum "Education: For the Future," within which these panel discussions took place, was organized by the "America for Bulgaria" Foundation, the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, the European Commission, the "Together in the Hour" foundation, the capital, industry watch, Muzeiko, Education 2030,The Trust for Social Alternative Achievement, The Center for Inclusive Education, and the Center for Creative Training.
Links:
“How does poverty affect children? " by author REYN Hrvatska