Abu-Ghazaleh: Early childhood is one of
the most important stages of human life
AMMAN – CARE International Organization –
Jordan has concluded the ‘Early Childhood Development’ program, jointly
organized with the Arab Organization for Quality Assurance in Education (AROQA)
and funded by the Norwegian Agency for
Development Cooperation (Norad).
The training program seeks to assist women
who have children in getting high-quality daycare to help them overcome one of
the biggest obstacles that prevent them from seeking job opportunities;
especially in the four targeted Jordanian governorates (Karak, At-Tafilah,
Amman and Irbid).
Primarily, the program focuses on
potential community-based organizations (CBOs), evaluating and identifying
capacity gaps among daycare providers, in addition to improving the caregivers'
skills and capacities.
Commenting on this event, HE Dr. Talal
Abu-Ghazaleh, AROQA chairman, stated that early childhood is one of the most
important stages of human life, as nurseries and kindergartens serve as a
bridge that helps children’s transition to the primary school stage. He
reiterated that; in this critical stage, children learn skills of
communication, discovery and they learn how to build friendship, through a
dynamic setting that fosters their aspirations and satisfies their curiosity
and passion for learning.
Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh expressed his pride in
CARE’s interest in early childhood stage and its institutions, due to its importance especially in light of
the urgent need to develop education by specialists and experts in this
specific stage of children’s life.
The training program, which was delivered
by a group of early childhood experts, focused on knowledge and skills of
daycare providers in early childhood development, combating gender-based
violence, in addition to reviewing the regulations and rules for nurseries and
kindergartens.
Participants commended the level of
training and topics discussed, affirming that the program keeps pace with
professional, practical and scientific developments, in order to build a better
future for the future generations in accordance with the highest standards, and
in line with the development of the world of knowledge. They further thanked
CARE Organization and AROQA for their efforts in improving quality services of
nurseries and kindergartens by building the capacity of daycare providers.
The program included training on early
childhood care using the Montessori Approach presented by CARE International
(Jordan) cadres, as well as the role of parents in children's learning. This is
in addition to the TEAM Approach that aims to familiarize participants with the
Montessori Approach to Early Childhood Education, the stages of child
development at the nursery and the
kindergarten, as well as their basic needs, in addition to identifying the
Montessori educational tools, and the acquisition of skills related to working with children in
accordance with the Montessori Approach.
The participants also discussed the
Science, the technology, the engineering, the art, and the math (STEAM) Method,
which aims to develop science integration skills in children teaching, in
addition to recognizing the interactive ground communication and its relationship to 5G.
AROQA expressed gratitude to CARE
International – Jordan for entrusting it with the implementation of its serial
project on sustainable development entitled ‘Identification of community-based
institutions with day-care facilities, early childhood development programs and
capacity-building training for individuals working in community-based
organizations’. The project endeavors to develop a study based on data
collection and analysis, with the aim of identifying gaps between organizations providing early
childhood care and caregivers.
CARE International – Jordan was founded in
1948 in response to the Palestinian Nakba by providing food and non–food items.
Since that date, the Organization continues its work in responding to
humanitarian crises and providing assistance to local communities and refugees
(starting from the Iraqi crisis, the Syrian refugee crisis, till today). The
Organization also contributes to protecting the vulnerable, the underprivileged
and the marginalized people by improving their lives (women, marginalized
groups in society, refugees, youth (male and female), and children at risk).
The scope of CARE work has developed from
emergency response to long-term economic empowerment programs, which
include interventions in urban areas,
host communities and the Azraq refugee camp.
The Arab Organization for Quality
Assurance in Education (AROQA) is an international non-profit independent
organization established in 2007 in Belgium for the purpose of raising
education levels in general with special focus on to the Arab region, under the
chairmanship of HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh.