Millions of children around the world just aren’t school ready, Theirworld says

A recent survey from Theirworld has shown that large numbers of new students around the world cannot perform simple tasks such as identifying numbers and letters or washing their hands when they first arrive at school. 

The findings come from a global survey of teachers which showed that tasks such as using the toilet independently, washing hands, and recognising their own name are beyond the capacity of many new school starters.

Only six per cent of US teachers surveyed would describe the four and five year olds in their care as being school ready, compared with eight per cent in the UK, nine per cent in the Netherlands, ten per cent in South Africa, and sixteen per cent in Brazil. 

India had the highest number of students considered school ready, at 29 per cent. 

Many attribute low attendance rates for early learning and the conditions imposed by the COVID-19 global pandemic as the cause for the decline in children’s capabilities. 

The findings prompted Theirworld to again call for more to be done to support the world’s children to access early childhood education. 

Through the Act For Early Years campaign, which has grown into a global movement, Theirworld is calling on world leaders to commit at least $1billion in new funding to kickstart the action needed to ensure every child has access to the support needed to thrive in the first five years of their life.

Commenting on the survey findings Theirworld President Justin van Fleet said that without more investment in children’s early years “the world’s youngest and most vulnerable children will begin their lives at a disadvantage”, something he feels could have lasting consequences across generations.

“90 per cent of a child’s brain is developed by the age of five, making the years between birth to school the most important time in their lives,” he added.

“World leaders must wake up to the overwhelming and indisputable evidence that investing in the early years is one of the most cost-effective ways to build healthier, wealthier and greener societies as well as tackle some of the greatest crises we face, from climate change to rising inequality.”

“With millions of children’s futures hanging in the balance, we cannot afford to wait.”

The survey for Theirworld gauged the opinions of more than 2,500 primary school teachers and support staff in Brazil, India, Netherlands, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States.

Source: https://theirworld.org/news/teachers-say-too-many-children-are-not-ready-to-start-school/