An Expo on Early Childhood Development
Early childhood education is critical to ensure that children develop their learning skills to prepare for primary school. We found out today that it not only includes reading and writing, but it embraces technology at an early age and promotes activities for a healthy body. News Five’s Duane Moody was at an expo this morning featuring the various sectors that contribute to the development of mind and soul.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Today at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex in Belize City, the Belize District Expo for Early Childhood Education was organized. Hundreds of preschool and primary school children along with their parents and teachers converged at the parking lot for a day that showcased the many facets and the holistic approach by the ministry to early childhood development. It’s part of the ministry’s mission to transform schools to excellence.
Darlene Lozano
Darlene Lozano, Education Officer, Belize District Education Centre
“It’s to spread an awareness on early childhood education; it’s to encourage our parents to send their children to school at the age of three so that they can do the two-year programme. This is the foundation for primary school.”
It is an annual event and on Monday, a national expo was held in Belmopan to kick start similar activities by the district centres throughout the week. The expo highlights the quality of learning that occurs in the classroom.
Darlene Lozano
“We have thirteen booths, seven of which are learning centres which you will see in a regular classrooms and the others are from the service areas. We have Ministry of Health; we have Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation; we have Ministry of Education with ESS and the literacy unit. We included yoga because we need a healthy body and yoga relaxes the mind and we need that…we want a healthy citizenry and for us to get that, it is not only the academics that we need to emphasize. We have the library unit here; reading is an integral part of learning. We need to learn to read for every single job in Belize. And so we want the public to come out, to give support to the children. This morning, children were performing; see what happens in the school. Also it will help you as a parent to choose educational activities to work with your child at home.”
The expo looks at developing the entire child—body, mind and soul. Another new feature was the technology booth which seeks to promote the use of tablets, laptops and computers as a learning strategy to be used in classrooms.
Joycelyn Moreira
Joycelyn Moreira, Teacher, Port Loyola Community Preschool
“Technology at the preschool is very demanding because this is the technological era that we are in and the children nowadays are asking for tablets and electronic gadgets. So in order to take them to the next era, we need to be prepared with gadgets in the classrooms. We use it also to do our researches for classroom worksheets and what have you.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
