adminScott Ozanus Review Correspondent —
Why is a company that employs over 189 000 people around the world and hires about 40 000 people every year concerned with early childhood? It’s because all over the globe, countries and companies face a common challenge: How best to strengthen their economy and workforce, while also taking societal concerns into consideration. Early childhood is key to a productive current workforce as well as nations’ future success.
How does a child’s experience at two-years-old translate into being a fulfilled, productive adult? Research shows that the learning gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children can show up as early as nine months of age.
A study showed that by age three, children of low-income families had half the vocabulary of more advantaged families. What’s more, disadvantaged children can begin primary school as much as 18 months behind their more-advantaged classmates.
Research also tells us that a child’s level of math knowledge in pre-school predicts their later academic success in primary and even secondary school. Moreover, a child’s grasp of early math skills predicts later reading achievement even better than early reading skills do.
We want children to have access to programmes that can put them on the path to academic, career, and life success. We want them to have the characteristics businesses value most, such as the ability to communicate well or collaborate effectively.
We want them to have fulfilling lives and a positive impact on the economies of nations the world over.
And data shows early childhood programmes can have a profound impact. An overview of 56 studies across 23 countries found impacts on health, education, cognitive ability, and emotional development.
A study by Nobel Laureate James Heckman found that participants in an early childhood programme in Jamaica had 25 percent higher wages — 20 years later.
Heckman says the return on investment in early childhood is even higher than the stock market from World War II through 2008. Furthermore, quality child care helps parents work and be more productive today.
Access to quality child care increases stability for current workers by limiting absences, employee turnover, and other issues that reduce productivity. And there’s a pressing need for such access as many countries want to increase their rate of female employment.
That’s how investing in the early years can transform not just the lives of children, but their communities, and ultimately their countries, making them healthier and more competitive in the global economy.
An increasingly digital economy will place greater premiums on employees who have the skills needed for jobs that cannot be automated by new technologies.
Even now, it is tough to find qualified workers and retain employees in communities where early childhood programmes are lacking. — Businessdailyafrica.com.
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