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Inaugural Early Childhood Expo on July 7

June 4, 2009

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The inaugural Early Childhood Development Expo 2009, which will feature innovations in early childhood education and development, will be held on Tuesday (July 7) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.
Under the theme: ‘Stimulating Early Childhood Development in Jamaica’, the event, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., will feature a seminar exploring cutting-edge practices and methodologies for stimulating and nurturing young minds, as well as an exhibition showcasing facilities, equipment and technologies.
It is being spearheaded by the Dudley Grant Memorial Trust in association with the Education Ministry, through the Early Childhood Commission.
At the launch held today (June 3) at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Regional and Community Intervention Co-ordinator at the Early Childhood Commission, Richard Williams, stated that the event will allow “our primary stakeholders, our children, to get an opportunity to interact and learn from new experiences, (while) our parents, learn new and improved ways to stimulate the young child, and practitioners can get an opportunity to improve their skills, capabilities, and capacities.”
Health Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, in a message read by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Child Development Agency (CDA) Allison Anderson, said that the theme of the expo was in keeping with the vision of the Government to foster the growth and development of the nation’s children into productive and functional members of society.
“These young people will have to take the reigns of governance of the country and so we need to put the infrastructure in place to prepare them for this important role,” the Minister said.
He commended the Dudley Grant Memorial Trust, for contributing to the upgrading of early childhood institutions to meet the national standards for early childhood development in Jamaica. The Trust has responsibility for encouraging innovative approaches to early childhood teaching and learning, through its extensive research into the development and application of the newly revised early childhood curriculum.
“The Dudley Grant Memorial Trust, has, over the years, done tremendous work in the area of early childhood development and I applaud them for this latest effort in collaboration with the Early Childhood Commission,” he stated.
During the seminar, presentations will be made by representatives from the Ministries of Health and Education; the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM); the Early Childhood Commission; Parenting Partners; and McCam Child Development Centre.
Topics to be discussed include: Safety Issues for Young Children, Health and Wellness for the Infant and Young Child, Behaviour Management Methods, Parenting the Young Child, and Providing for Children with Special Needs.
The expo is being sponsored by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF); Jamaica National Building Society; Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund; Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ); and Air Jamaica.
Admission for adults is $200 and $100 for children.

Last Updated: August 26, 2013

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