In a bid to promote early learning and education among children aged between 2 and 3 years old, the Institute for Early Childhood Development (IECD) Category 2 Institute under the Auspices of UNESCO recently concluded a series of sensitization sessions with parents for 2023.
These sessions aimed to equip parents whose children are not enrolled in registered childcare services with the necessary knowledge and skills to involve their little ones in developmentally appropriate activities at home through play.
Held under the National Action Plan for Early Childhood Care and Education 2023-2024, the last session took place on Saturday, 16th December 2023, at the Grand Anse Mahe primary school, serving the parents and guardians of the western region.
The sensitization sessions organized by the IECD were carefully designed to provide parents with some basic activities, resources and strategies that they can employ for boosting their child’s learning, confidence and holistic development. It will also help towards readiness for preschool education. These sessions covered a wide range of topics, including the importance of play in early childhood development, age-appropriate activities, interactive storytelling, sensory play, and creative arts. Through practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises, parents were empowered to create a stimulating and nurturing environment for their children’s growth.
Following the last sensitization session, the IECD received valuable feedback from parents who attended. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn and understand more about their child’s early development and needs. Parents commended the interactive nature of the sessions and the active participation, and in doing so allowed them to better understand what they have been sensitized in and facilitate the sharing with their child. In addition, the parents praised the facilitators and IECD for sharing practical tips and strategies as they were able to immediately implement them at home.
Even though the number of participants in the sensitization sessions may not have met initial expectations, the IECD Team is delighted with the rate of participation and the project’s objectives was successfully achieved. The IECD recognizes that parents’ schedules can often be quite demanding, hence making it difficult for them to participate in such sessions on Saturdays. To address this matter, the IECD plans to bring the sessions closer to the working parents by conducting them at their respective workplaces in the upcoming year. By providing convenient access to these sessions, the IECD hopes to reach a wider audience and further increase parental involvement and participation in early learning and education.
