8 out of 10 children living in Armenian villages missing the preschool education because of lack of these centres.
“I would never have imagined that I could do important things besides housekeeping. It is like a dream that I felt could never come true with two little children at home,” said Heghine, who has already been working for six months as a teacher with 16 children in the Marts village kindergarten. It was established by UNICEF using the alternative model for preschool education services, the purpose of which is to ensure that every child in the community has an equal opportunity for early childhood development.
Eight out of ten children living in Armenian villages do not go to kindergarten for various reasons, including the lack of an available facility. The shortcomings in the structure of ECD facilities in the country push women out of the labour market or force them to reduce their working hours. This is especially true for women who have small children in places where the labour market, legislative or cultural factors reinforce the role of women as family caregivers and housewives. On the other hand, early childhood development is the most crucial part of the education system, as it aims to improve the cognitive, physical and social skills of children aged 3–6 years.
This model has been developed for small rural communities with few children, where there is no budget to support a full-fledged kindergarten, while the kindergarten in the nearest town is too far away. The model is based on international studies that suggest the overall time period (in terms of years) spent frequenting a kindergarten is much more important for the future of a 3–6-year-old child than the number of hours the child spends in that facility.
We spoke to Heghine for a long time and she often repeated that the children coming to the kindergarten differed from the ones who did not. She shared a personal story. “We didn’t have a kindergarten before and I was very upset that my elder daughter Lilit, who is now six, could not attend and had to enrol directly in school. But now my 4-year-old Liana is already coming to this kindergarten. They are very different from each other from the point of view of self-sufficiency, behaviour and socialisation skills.”
International studies have shown that quality interventions during early childhood development are small investments that later lead to major benefits for the child, his or her family, society and the economy overall. Imagine the education system as a ladder. Removing preschool education means withdrawing the first couple of rungs in the ladder and expecting the child to climb up to the third rung at once.
With the support of UNICEF, around 140 children aged 3–6 in 12 communities of the Syunik and Lori regions will now start their journey of education from the very first rung. The model does not just ensure that children receive the opportunity for development and learning, it also provides jobs to the communities and has a positive impact on their social life.
We cannot end the story without sharing Heghine’s enthusiasm. During our conversation, she was half-embarrassed and half-proud when she mentioned that, although a teacher’s work is difficult and comes with a high level of responsibility, this is her opportunity to also focus on herself and her personal needs outside of her everyday role at home with her children.
Such services, especially in small communities, create new opportunities for women to enter the labour market, become active players in the economy and, considering the new pension system, help them ensure a better future for themselves.