FOCUS

	What education for the young child? Countries, North and South, are seeking to expand early childhood care and education in line with the Education for All agenda. While there would appear to be general agreement about the benefits of early childhood provision, a divergence of views prevails among specialists as to the appropriate pedagogy for each age group. More

	Responding to inner-city blues In the United States, the Head Start programme, which has been running for 40 years and funded by federal government at a cost of some $6.8 billion (for 2005), targets low-income families, with the goal of increasing school readiness of young children (0-5 years). While the programme claims to be successful, recent OECD figures suggest that many low-income families are still falling through the net. Only 45 per cent of children from 3 - 5 years from low-income families are enrolled in pre-school, compared to 75 per cent among high-income families. More

	Cultural identity for toddlers Until 1995, education in Papua New Guinea, an island nation in the South Pacific, was in English.. More

	UNESCO and early childhood UNESCO’s work in early childhood care and education focuses on policy issues. In a joint project with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNESCO is currently carrying out policy reviews in Brazil, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kenya.. More