"To ensure quality PAUD services for children, it is vital to direct all related aspects such as access and policy implementation," director general of PAUD, elementary, and middle-level education at the ministry, Iwan Syahril, said here on Monday.
Other aspects that are also important are quality improvement and capacity-building programs, financial commitment, and regional collaboration in PAUD development.
Early childhood development is a part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 4, namely ensuring all children have access to quality early childhood development and preschool education as preparation for entering elementary education.
Parenting and education in the early years of childhood can influence children's well-being and development as a whole.
"Caregiving and parenting are the basis of child development. Thus, in order to optimally reach their potential, children in early childhood require five interrelated and inseparable parenting components," he said.
The five components are good health, sufficient nutrition, safety and security, responsive parenting, and opportunities to learn, he added.
According to him, one of the interesting things about PAUD development in Southeast Asian countries is the local wisdom that is present in the form of mother language use in the learning process.
He said that education that is based on local contexts originating from culture and history has its own value in efforts to improve the quality of early childhood education and care in ASEAN countries.
To this end, the ministry will take part in the Southeast Asia Policy Dialogue on Early Childhood Care and Education (SEA PD on ECCE) on July 25–26, 2023.
The ministry emphasized the importance of strong collaboration in the PAUD ecosystem, particularly in Indonesia, to improve knowledge, experience, and good practices in PAUD.
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Translator: Astrid Faidlatul, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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