Early childhood investment key to Ja’s future - Professor Kinkead-Clark

Jamaica’s ability to build a healthier, better educated, and more productive society depends heavily on what happens during the first five years of a child’s life, according to Professor Zoyah Kinkead-Clark, Professor of Early Childhood Care and Education at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona.

Professor Kinkead-Clark, who is also manager of the Dudley Grant Early Childhood Resource Centre and deputy dean of graduate studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Education, expressed the view while addressing members of the JN Circle Corporate Area Chapter at a hybrid monthly meeting session held recently on the importance of investing in early childhood development.

She said early childhood care and education must be viewed as much more than preparing young children to read, write, and count, noting that the period encompasses health and nutrition, safety and protection, early learning, stimulation, and the development of social and emotional skills.

“The home is a child’s first school,” she emphasised, pointing to parents and caregivers as the first teachers and stressing that investment in early childhood cannot be limited to schools.

Kinkead-Clark said Jamaica has made significant strides in providing access to early childhood education. Data from the Early Childhood Commission, she noted, shows that there are 2,223 early childhood institutions across the island, serving just under 105,000 children. However, only 324 of these institutions are certified, meaning that they have met the 12 standards established by the Early Childhood Commission.

While Jamaica has one of the highest early childhood enrolment rates in the world, she cautioned that enrolment does not necessarily translate into attendance or quality learning.

According to data from the 2022 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, approximately 71 per cent of three- and four-year-olds attend early childhood programmes. However, attendance falls to about 61 per cent among children from the poorest households, compared with 75 per cent among children from wealthier households.

Kinkead-Clark said these disparities highlight the need to look beyond access and focus on the quality of the experiences children receive, particularly those from vulnerable households.

She pointed to the first 1,000 days of life as a particularly critical period for brain development and urged parents and caregivers to make greater use of everyday interactions to stimulate young children.

“Language is vital,” she said, explaining that children develop communication skills through interaction with adults. She cautioned against relying heavily on electronic devices to engage young children, noting that language development requires a two-way exchange.

She also encouraged parents to talk to children from birth, read to them, and expose them to books and other learning materials, emphasising that these activities do not have to be expensive.

Professor Kinkead-Clark said only 44 per cent of children had at least three books in their homes while about 85 per cent of children between ages two and four had participated in some form of learning activity with an adult member of their household.

“Parents are the first teachers,” she stressed, arguing that strengthening parenting education should, therefore, be an important component of efforts to improve early childhood outcomes.

She further highlighted the importance of play, exploration, and positive relationships between children and caregivers in supporting social and emotional development. Early identification of developmental difficulties is also critical, she said, because identifying and intervening early gives children a greater opportunity to overcome challenges.

The professor also raised concerns about children with disabilities and the availability of support services. While Jamaica has made progress in developmental screening, she said a major challenge remains the availability of appropriate intervention services after a child has been identified as needing additional support.

Kinkead-Clark also made the case for greater investment in early childhood development on economic grounds. She cited research from Jamaica by Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, which she said found significant returns on investment in high-quality early childhood programmes. According to her presentation, every dollar invested can yield a return of about US$17 while people who benefit from high-quality early childhood care and education can have 37 to 43 per cent greater earning potential later in life.

Her presentation was the last and final in a three-part series that the JN Circle executed to equip members with authenticated knowledge so that they can go out and have an impact on their communities.

The JN Circle is a global network of JN members and customers who leverage the JN Group’s resources to serve as advocates and community change agents. With 17 chapters spanning all 14 parishes and active groups in Toronto, Canada, and London, England, the JN Circle continues to make meaningful contributions to community development.