Building Tomorrow Today

How youth-led solutions are shaping the future of early childhood education. Credit: United Nations

By Robert Jenkins and Kevin Frey
UNITED NATIONS, Jul 29 2024 (IPS)

Around the world, young people are driving change to ensure our youngest learners get the best start in life.

In rural Kenya, Aisha, a young female entrepreneur trained through a UNICEF-supported programme, has started her own Early Childhood Education (ECE) centre. This centre provides quality early learning to over 50 children and creates jobs for other young women as teachers and support staff.

The impact of Aisha’s work is profound: more children are ready for school, and more young women in her community are economically empowered.

More than 4,000 miles away, in a densely populated informal settlement in Dhaka, Rahim, a young entrepreneur, demonstrates that entrepreneurship and early childhood education are opportunities for all youth to participate in.

Using training and seed funding from UNICEF he has established an early childhood education centre, offering flexible hours and affordable fees. His centre has become an invaluable resource for working parents looking for quality early learning for their children while also employing young people from the local community.

Through the efforts of young people like Aisha and Rahim, a brighter future is being forged for the world’s children, one young entrepreneur at a time.

Right now, more than half of the world’s youngest learners — 175 million children — lack access to early childhood education.

Addressing gaps in early childhood education can enhance school readiness and help combat the persistent cycle of low achievement and high dropout rates that affect children who fall behind in these formative years — a pattern of underachievement which follows children into adulthood.

Youth-led entrepreneurial initiatives offering early learning services can be a game changer in addressing these gaps.

Mobilizing the power of youth to expand early childhood care and education services not only addresses the critical gaps in education access but also showcases the tremendous impact of investing in initiatives that could transform the future of 267 million young people globally, who are not in employment, education, or training.

Skilling young men and women as providers of early childhood services generates livelihood options and decent jobs for educated youth. With expanded early childhood education, young parents can also pursue their own education and career goals.

Young entrepreneurs bring fresh perspectives, energy, and a deep understanding of the local context, making them well-positioned to drive improvements in early learning services. With the right training and support, they can create sustainable solutions to specific needs and become vital pillars and champions of early childhood education in their communities – building a brighter tomorrow, with innovative solutions today!

Skilling for Success

UNICEF and Generation Unlimited are dedicated to empowering young entrepreneurs with comprehensive skills and scaling the establishment of high-quality early learning centres. Initiatives such as the UNICEF’s Venture Fund and Innovation Challenge, and Generation Unlimited’s imaGen Ventures Youth Challenge have been effective in building young people’s life skills as well as a blend of entrepreneurial, management and financial skills required to establish and run a successful enterprise.

When these skills are combined with further training on play-based learning and parental engagement strategies, young entrepreneurs can ensure their early childhood education services follow age-appropriate learning strategies and effectively engage parents in the learning process, thereby bolstering enrollment and caregiver involvement in school activities, events, and projects.

Numerous success stories exemplify the transformative impact of these programmes. In South Africa, UNICEF and Generation Unlimited have partnered with the University of Pretoria, and Price Waterhouse Coopers to establish the Mamelodi Business Hub, training young South Africans in micro-business management and financial literacy.

Young entrepreneurs from this initiative have founded the Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori project to expand access to early childhood education and care in rural areas. Applying a similar approach in a humanitarian context, UNICEF partnered with the Government of Jordan to train young people in Za’atari refugee camp to deliver early learning and psychosocial services in Makani centres.

On World Youth Skills Day, (which is commemorated annually on July 15), let us commit to supporting young people in creating innovative, sustainable solutions for early childhood education. To do this, we must fuel innovations that empower youth with the appropriate skills, support and resources to establish and run high quality services.

Education decision-makers, investors, and governments must adopt supportive strategies, including developing youth-friendly policy frameworks, providing accredited training and mentorship, offering financial support, and fostering networks and partnerships to create a robust support system for young entrepreneurs.

Together, we can build a brighter tomorrow for children, families, and communities worldwide by empowering educated young girls and boys to be the early childhood champions and changemakers of today.

Robert Jenkins is the Global Director, Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF; Kevin Frey is the CEO of Generation Unlimited

Source: UNICEF

IPS UN Bureau