The Future of Education

The learning and development of the children takes place both in informal setting like home and formal setting like Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Center. ECCD, as a place for formal education, needs the quality learning environment to stimulate their learning and development. Use of appropriate learning materials, application of appropriate teaching methodologies and parental care at home are the major components for better learning of a child. Simple and locally available materials like leaves, sticks, rocks, jars, bottle and caps, sand and seeds etc. can be used to make teaching learning materials to use in the classroom and at home where the parents can help to make these materials. Additionally, the parents’ engagement is helpful in creating conducive learning environment for children to play, learn and grow and support teachers to change their traditional teaching style. These materials provided to the teachers helps for making attractive ECCD centers and effective teaching of Early Literacy and Math (ELM) skill to children aged 3-5 years. After maintaining six learning corners in ECCD centres using the materials made by parents, children are learning themselves and enjoying with joyful and friendly environment which has supported their learning in early literacy and math skill. The particular kind of learning corners depends on the curriculum of ELM, activities that the teachers have planned and the materials available. In the context of rural Nepal, parents were rarely involved in ECCD program as teachers did not involve them. Some parents could not manage their time to visit ECCD since most of them were busy in their household work. But once parents became aware about the importance of their involvement in the education of their children, they started visiting the ECCD centres and supported to develop different learning materials using local resources. The benefits of parent involvement are visible in our project area such as; improvement in teaching behaviours of the teachers and attendance and learning achievements of the students.

Keywords: ECCD, ELM, learning materials, parental involvement, effective teaching, student’s achievement;