Preschools celebrate Child Stimulation Month
March is Child Stimulation Month, and today, preschools all over Belize held sports days to stimulate their young charge’s bodies as well as their minds. News 5 visited with the Preschool Unit in the Ministry of Education this week to find out why it is so important that we give our children an early start.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The City Early Education Centre is just one of the one hundred and five preschools in the country that has been preparing its children for Friday’s sports day. The activity is part of ongoing events celebrating Child Stimulation Month.
Allana Gillett, Education Officer, Preschool Unit
“The focus is on all the children in the preschools basically, but all young children in Belize. Through the preschool centres we hope to bring parents and the communities aware of what goes on, of the children developmental needs at this time and how developed they are by the time they reach infant one.”
The preschool activities are held under the theme “Nurturing Young Minds to Succeed.”
Jeanette Bennett, Principal, City Early Childhood Ed. Centre
“You know, Jackie, these early years are the critical years, so if the child is not properly nurtured both physically and mentally, we will be failing.”
Preschool education officer, Allana Gillett says studies have shown that if children are introduced to an earlier education like preschool, they are better prepared to succeed at all levels of education.
Allana Gillett
“Numerous research has shown that children who begin their education early usually complete all their education, leading right up to PhD you are finding. So we say if we nurture the minds from now there will be greater success later on.”
Presently there are three thousand eight hundred and eight children attending preschool and two hundred and seventeen teachers at the centres.
Jacqueline Woods
“What are some of the activities taking place this month?”
Allana Gillett
“We are focussing on sports day, which is physical development. We are having cultural day, because we are a diverse country and if children are aware from now that they are special and all of us might look different, but we are all Belizeans. Yes, we have different cultures and if they socialise with these different cultures, we will get greater harmony between our children.”
Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
The Preschool Unit also encourages parents to participate in their children’s activities.
