Early childhood is crucial for a child’s future educational success and overall life trajectory. Research has highlighted the importance of high-quality early childhood education in fostering academic achievement and lifelong economic opportunities.
Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Dr Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati binti Haji Tajuddin said this at the opening of a webinar on ‘Sharing Practices and Experiences in Early Childhood Care and Education in Brunei Darussalam’ held yesterday.
The permanent secretary, in her speech said, “In Brunei, we have a good collaborative system, which encompasses different agencies such as the MoE, Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), as well as other authorities.”
All of these agencies, she added, strive to provide comprehensive services for children aged zero to five years old, by emphasising on a holistic approach to development.
On this note, the permanent secretary said that the webinar coincides with regional efforts under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisations (SEAMEO) Strategic Plan 2021-2030 and the 7-7-7 flagship programmes initiated by the Philippines.
These initiatives, she continued, focus on strengthening early childhood care and education (ECCE) across Southeast Asia through collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
The webinar also shone light on the importance of high-quality early childhood care, inclusive education, and effective parenting practices by creating a platform for sharing successful practices and strategies in ECCE and inclusive education facilitating learning among various stakeholders; and encouraging partnerships among academics, practitioners, government agencies and the school community to advance ECCE initiatives and uphold children’s rights to quality education.
Organised by the Early Childhood Education Unit at the Department of Schools, in collaboration with Department of Special Education, the webinar was held at SEAMEO Vocational and Technical Education and Training (Voctech) Regional Centre.
Director of Schools Hajah Marina Chek binti Bujang, as the co-chair of the webinar, said the webinar provided an opportunity for participants to connect, exchange knowledge, opinions, policies and best practices in comprehensive early childhood care and education while at the same time discuss emerging issues.
The webinar also identified challenges and opportunities in its implementation, as well as served as a platform to share best practices and innovative approaches in early childhood education, while at the same time strengthening collaboration among educators, policymakers and other stakeholders in early childhood education.
The hybrid webinar was attended physically by experts and stakeholders in early childhood education and virtually by participants from the other 11 ASEAN member countries.
Among the participants at the webinar were representatives from the SEAMEO for Early Childhood Care Education and Parenting (SEAMEO CECCEP); the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Special Educational Needs (SEAMEO SEN); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC); as well as local representatives comprising government officials, including school leaders and operators of day-care centres. – Rokiah Mahmud
