Sally May Tan, CEO Knowledge Universe South East Asia, Keynote Speaker for Early Childhood Education, Global Conference, Mumbai, India, 15 December 2011

1. Early Childhood Education Global Conference Mumbai, India 15 December 2011 THE GROWING AWARENESS OF QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN ASIA Sally May Tan Chief Executive Officer Knowledge Universe South East Asia

2. If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people. Confucius

5. Factors at play affecting access and quality of ECE Issue of responsibility Policy and InfrastructureSupport Supporting parents in positive family care practices

6. The 2008 EFA* Global Monitoring Report stated that only 53% of the world’s countries have ECE programmes for children under 3. Image source: blogspot.com * Education For All

7. Around the world… 67 million children of primary-school age out of school 17% of the world’s adults (793 million people, two- thirds are women) still lack basic literacy skills. 2 million more teachers need to be recruited and trained by 2015 to achieve universal primary education Source: unesco.org

8. What research tells us ... “ Rate of return of a dollar invested while a person is young is higher than the rate of return of the same dollar made at a later age.” James Heckman Nobel Laureate, Economist

9. The Education for All (EFA) goals focus on the need to provide learning opportunities at every stage in life, from infancy to adulthood. Image source: unesco.org

10. Goal #1 Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children Image source: unesco.org

11. Goal #2 Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality. Image source: huffingtonpost.com

12. Goal #3 Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes

13. Goal #4 Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults. Goal #5 Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality.

14. Goal #6 Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.

15. “ The mandate to improve all aspects of the quality of education is largely dependent on the quality of the content ; and for more and better trained teachers ...” UNESCO EFA Monitoring Report 2005 Source: unesco.org

17. Singapore South-East Asia Sub-Region Image source: theasiaparent.com ; trueknowledge.com Terms used to denote Early Childhood Services and Age Ranges covered in South Asia Definition and Age Ranges ECCE (0-6 years), including an array of private and NGO-sponsored programmes, creches for working mothers, and pre-primary section in schools (3-6 years)

21. China Sources: theasianparent.com ; chinadigitaltimes.net Terms used to denote Early Childhood Services and Age Ranges covered in South Asia Definition and Age Ranges ECCE (0-6 years), including an array of private and NGO-sponsored programmes, creches for working mothers, and pre-primary section in schools (3-6 years)

24. India Sources: flickr.com ; outlookindia.com Terms used to denote Early Childhood Services and Age Ranges covered in South Asia Definition and Age Ranges ECCE (0-6 years), including an array of private and NGO-sponsored programmes, creches for working mothers, and pre-primary section in schools (3-6 years)

27. Malaysia Sources: unhcr.org ; worldofstock.com Terms used to denote Early Childhood Services and Age Ranges covered in South Asia Definition and Age Ranges ECCE (0-6 years), including an array of private and NGO-sponsored programmes, creches for working mothers, and pre-primary section in schools (3-6 years)

30. Transform, not reform.