03 October, 2018

UNESCO-IICBA was represented by Dr. Binyam Sisay Mendisu, Program Officer, at a two-day global seminar organized by Education International (EI) on early childhood education (ECE) under the theme ‘Towards Quality Early Childhood Education for All’ in Nairobi, Kenya on the 24 and 25 September 2018. One of the main objectives of the seminar was to discuss important global and regional frameworks and instruments, including the ILO policy guidelines on the promotion of decent work for early childhood personnel and how these can be implemented at the country level.

The seminar opened with a keynote speech delivered by Ms. Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta, Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Eastern Africa. In the afternoon, participants discussed and provided contributions to the draft global framework of professional teaching standards of ECE personnel that is being prepared by EI. At the end of the first day, a regional network for teacher unions in Africa was launched to promote and develop the capacity of ECE teaching personnel in Africa.

On the morning of the second day, participants visited two preschools in Nairobi where they learned about their efforts to improve quality and the challenges they face. Then, in the afternoon, various deliberations were made on how to strengthen and renew the activities and relevance of teacher unions globally, and it was also an occasion for some unions to share their best practices.