a teacher at Kampalala Primary School

In Zambia today the government has provided the enabling environment through domesticating protocols, treaties and policy formulation to uphold early childhood education which is key to the development of every child, it is believed that Early childhood is the period from prenatal development to seven years of age.  It is a crucial phase of growth and development because experiences during early childhood can influence outcomes across the entire course of an individual’s life.  For all children, early childhood provides an important window of opportunity to prepare the foundation for life-long learning and participation, while preventing potential delays in development. Which should include children with disability, it is a time to ensure access to interventions which can help them reach their full potential. The Ministry of General Education has come up with a policy on ECCDE which will govern the implementation of ECCDE in Zambia. The Ministry of Education through the Curriculum Development Centre has standardized the early childhood curriculum which has been linked to Grade 1. Previously, centers used different curricula of which some learning activities did not provide a smooth transition to Grade 1. The new curriculum is compulsory to all early childhood centers be it government or private owned.
Regardless of all this achievement in the early childhood education and the policy environment provided by government in our country, Access to early childhood education is very low in Zambia, especially among vulnerable groups. Only 17.3% of children enrolled in primary education, enjoyed any kind of early childhood education. Moreover, the quality of early childhood education is often substandard. Zambia needs good early childhood education teachers, and this has been seen to be a challenge, to mitigate the challenges the early childhood education sector has been faced with as a teacher, the following measures must be put in place.
1.    Increase budgetary allocation to ECCDE, to improve service delivery and ensure that all children under the age of 6 have access to ECCDE facilities.
2.    Increase sensitization on the importance of ECE in rural areas which will improve enrolment of pupils in Early Childhood Centers (ECCs).
3.    Invest in community based ECCs and provide adequate training for community personnel based on the required teaching standards.
4.    Inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood education which will have greater benefits to families.
As a history teacher as the saying, goes history as a tendency of repeating itself I impart skills and knowledge in learners on the historical background of our cultural heritage, its significance to society, norms and good traditional practice such as traditional ceremonies that children should understand and know their cultural background considering that Zambia has 72 ethnic groups and the motto of one Zambia one Nation, that will continue helping them even as they go out in society. In my teaching career have been instrumental in upholding our cultural heritage and passed it on to leaners able to identify talent and encourage them to participate cultural dances and culture based activities  in school as a way of appreciating culture and traditions , this has   potential for  future generation not  forgetting where they  are coming from, and have been able to identify slow learners and help them understand the importance of culture and historical background of our country and Africa at large in all spheres , these are some of the achievements have made in my teaching career, for the past seventy years.  It is from this background that, I feel my participation in the   forum will contribute immensely to the historical background of countries, Africa and the world.

1.    Learn on how other countries are implementing Early childhood education policies visive Zambia.
2.    To understand how quality education brings development in the country context.
3.    To understand how education sector can be improved across the globe for quality education.
4.    To learn best practices and discuss key issues and trends relating to education and skills development to improve the education sector and connect with leaders and researchers across the globe.
5.    To expand my career through networks to take my performance to the next level of quality teaching through the perspective on implementing the forum resolutions and strategies.
6.    To understand how disability inclusions can enhance the education sector across the globe.
7.    To understand history as a subject can evolve to another level for technological advancement.

No doubt, education plays a key role in changing societies. Therefore, as an agent of change on the center of children I will continue impacting positively on society through quality teaching.