THE MINISTRY of Education has come out with a plan that will tackle early childhood development issues.

The National Strategic Plan (NSP) will take five years before parents and teachers begin to see results. Parents, early childhood practitioners and local and international developers came together with the Government to put the plan into effect.

"We're looked upon as a model that can be used elsewhere," Minister of Education Andrew Holness said.

Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, chairman of the Early Childhood Commission, said there are 45 targets the commission hopes to achieve at the end of five years.

So far, 213 schools dedicated to toddlers and babies have been inspected. The commission is looking forward to inspecting another 60 schools in September when the academic year starts.

To promote positive parenting

Positive parenting starting at birth, effective health care and an effective learning curriculum are some of the targets that the ministry hopes to meet.

The NSP was funded through a World Bank loan of US$15 million (J$1.08 billion). The Jamaican Government has also put $200 million in reserve to help schools which are in breach of the Early Childhood Act, as well as the Public Health Act.

"We do not intend to close any schools and, therefore, we must provide them with the funds to enable them to meet the regulatory standards," Holness said.

He also said by the time parents usually start paying attention to their children's education at the Grade Six Achievement Test Level, it is too late.

"They need to meet their children's early development needs," Samms-Vaughan said.

Children starting their early childhood education this year will start benefiting from the plan.

The ministry is encouraging early childhood facilities to register with the commission.