The dozens of daycare centres around the Virgin Islands don’t just house children for the day: They help lay students’ educational foundations, preschool teachers said during the Early Childhood Education Exhibit at the Central Administration Building breezeway.
About 10 daycares and pre-schools were represented at the event, which showcased student work including paintings, arts and crafts.
“We want parents to understand that early childhood education is not where the children just pick up a pencil and write,” said Yonette Wintz, an instructor at New Life Day Care and Learning Centre. “It is more of developing the child holistically, where they learn through play, they do some writing. They paint and develop all the muscle skills that they need to.”
Such learning is very important, especially in young children, said Donnete Matthew, a teacher at Little Lite Hous Child Development Centre.
“I don’t think that early childhood has been given the recognition that it needs,” Ms. Matthew said. “This is the foundation. You cannot have a shaky foundation, because the children are going to suffer in the long run. You need to have a foundation that is strong that the children can build on.”
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