The Education Council believes that there has been too little focus on the pedagogical approach in the debate on childcare. Every child in the age group from zero to twelve has the right to a joined-up programme of care, education and upbringing. This gives them better chances to develop.
3 July 2008
Many children in the Netherlands attend childcare, and part of their upbringing takes place outside the home. Yet in many cases day care centres, children's play groups, and lunchtime and after-school facilities barely offer anything more than the most basic of care. Educational programmes are primarily offered to children from deprived backgrounds. This doesn't make sense.
Start with ‘educational care' for three-year olds
Offer every child in the age group from zero to twelve a joined-up programme of care, education and upbringing. Get schools, childcare facilities and leisure facilities to work closely together. Start developing a broad educational programme of four half-day sessions, preferably free for all three-year olds. The Education Council has coined the term educational care to describe this form of care. It will prepare three-year olds for learning in the school environment and will stimulate their personal development.
Extend the role of the primary school in the long term
In the long term, the Education Council would like to see the role of primary schools extended. Primary schools should gradually start to offer a programme for all three, four and five-year olds. The programme should offer a broad base to stimulate their development: their cognitive, social, emotional, moral, physical and creative development. In the longer term, the Education Council would like to see a universal, publicly funded education facility for three-year olds.
Give trainee primary teachers the choice between younger or older children
Embedding learning in pre-school and after-school childcare for all children aged zero to twelve demands well-trained professionals. The Education Council is an advocate of a two-track primary teacher training programme. After the initial year, trainee teachers should then choose whether they want to teach the younger children (zero to eight years) or the older children (six to twelve years). Not everyone working in childcare would have to have a tertiary level professional qualification. The relevant vocational programmes at the secondary level (MBO) should also devote more time to educational childcare.