Young Ones Ready for Early-Childhood Education

Ninety-two per cent of the nation’s four-year-old children are developmentally ready for early-childhood education.

This was outlined in the National Age Four Assessment, which was conducted in June of this year from a cohort of approximately 40,000 by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

Speaking at a back-to-school press conference, at the Ministry’s Heroes Circle offices in Kingston on August 31, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, said the data also show that 90 per cent of the children have satisfactory literacy skills and 88 per cent have satisfactory numeracy skills at that level.

He said this reveals that only eight to 10 per cent of the nation’s children need additional support at that early stage.

Senator Reid said that the report will be used to inform the strategies that will be utilised by early-childhood teachers to adequately prepare the children to enter grade one.

He explained that this cohort will be tracked to ensure that “we do all the things necessary to maximise their full potential”.