UNESCO defines Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs to build a solid foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing.
According to the “Need to Know” framework, the following points are central to UNESCO’s global mission:
1. Why ECCE is Critical
The period from birth to 8 years old is a window of remarkable brain development.
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Neural Connections: In the first few years, more than one million neural connections are formed every second.
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Long-term Impact: Quality ECCE leads to better health, nutrition, and academic success. It is considered one of the best investments a country can make to promote gender equality and social cohesion.
2. The Global Situation (Key Figures)
Despite its importance, UNESCO highlights significant gaps in access and funding:
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Participation: While global pre-primary participation rose to 61% in 2020, only 1 in 3 countries are currently on track to reach their SDG4 benchmarks.
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Financing: Globally, only 0.43% of GDP is spent on pre-primary education. Low-income countries face an annual financing gap of USD 21 billion to meet 2030 targets.
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Legal Rights: 91 out of 188 countries do not guarantee any years of free or compulsory pre-primary education in their legal frameworks.
READ MORE HERE: https://www.unesco.org/en/early-childhood-education/need-know?hub=70242