The Future of Education

There are approximately 4,500 children ages 0-3 of migrant workers, refugees, and asylum seekers living in Israel whose non-resident status does not permit them to receive social and medical rights.  Non-status parents are not eligible for subsidized day care and can hardly afford private settings.  The solution for these children has been placement in neglectful early childhood settings (called “children’s warehouses" or “pirate nurseries”). The children in these settings are exposed to extreme conditions of risk and neglect, as well as emotional, physical, and motor functioning harm due to spending long hours in playpens and not receiving enough attention to their basic needs.  Furthermore, children after the age of 3 are only in school for part of the day, and are then bussed to the pirate day care centers for after school care, where they too are neglected.

UNITAF holds unique pedagogical model that was established in response to these neglectful frameworks. At the model, former pirate caregivers are given training and supervision, and then moved, with their charges, into properly coded and furnished day care centres. The Unitaf model was developed by a group of educators and social workers, with the aim of empowering the community.  The model would establish independent small business that could provide employment to women from the community and quality day care solutions for the children.

The caregivers are women from West Africa and asylum seekers from Eritrea, who fled war, famine, and dictatorships, seeking a better future.  They receive ongoing support and training from Unitaf’s pedagocial instructors and social workers. 

The caregivers from the foreign community together with social workers and educators form a staff working under close educational supervision: The teachers have an operating contract, obligating them to adhere to appropriate standards for child care. The environment is pleasant and learning-conducive. Care is given to create a pluralistic atmosphere where children from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds can spend long hours together and flourish. The trained nannies run the business independently, creating for themselves opportunities for economic independent and professional growth.