CONCEPTUALIZATION OF ECED

The ECED Cluster defines early childhood as the developmental period between conception until 8 years of age and ECED programming as policies and programmes targeting all aspects of a child’s development including physical, social, emotional and cognitive.

The ECED cluster acknowledges that development in each one of the early learning domains plays a central role in ensuring success in life. These domains include cognition; language and literacy; perceptual, motor, and physical development; and approaches to learning that promotes independence, curiosity and self-management. In supporting development of each of these domains, the cluster recognizes that they are

  1. Interdependent and interrelated hence should all receive due attention as what happens in one domain influences development in other domains,

  2. Development in each domain is progressive and cumulative.  The skills and knowledge developed early in life lays the foundation for more advanced skills and knowledge and

  3. While the child’s age is related to the developmental stage, it is important to note each child develops at his or her own rate.

Further to this, the cluster recognizes that to provide high quality early learning services, there is need to ensure that learning environments provide opportunities for communication and language-rich conversations, exploration and discovery through play, on-going motivation, supportive feedback and guidance through out the process of learning.

The Cluster recognizes that effective programming supports children’s holistic development and hence seeks to provide for children’s health, nutrition, safety, security, early learning and development. Further to this, that sustainable programming targets the entire environment in which children grow including families, service providers, communities, national governments and the global community. Special attention will be placed on the role of parents, as they are the primary caregivers. It is therefore critical that ECED programmes target parents, caregivers and other family members who are closest to the child.