Chile will bring together specialists in initial education and early childhood
May 25-29

UNESCO to participate in Symposium on children’s transition to socialization and school:

Between May 25 and 29, Chile will host the “II Inter-American Symposium: policies and strategies for a successful transition of the child to socialization and school”. The meeting will be held in the city of Valparaíso and will bring together renowned specialists from different countries in America who will discuss about initial education and early childhood, subjects on which Chile has obtained international recognition.

The symposium is the result of the efforts of heads of state, the Organization of American States and the ministers of education of its member states regarding comprehensive care of children from zero to three years of age and about “passage”, i.e. the transition process between one educational level and another, which requires the active involvement of both the educators and families of the children.

The symposium – led by the Organization of American States (OAS), the Chilean Ministry of Education, the National Association of Pre-Schools of Chile (JUNJI), UNICEF, UNESCO, Integra Foundation and B. Van Leer Foundation – is the result of the efforts of heads of state, the OAS and the ministers of education of its member states regarding comprehensive care of children from zero to three years of age and about “passage”, i.e. the transition process between one educational level and another, which requires the active involvement of both the educators and families of the children.
The meeting will take place from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May and its objective is to provide a forum for reflection, exchange and analysis regarding the reality of the different participating countries on topics such as the protection of early childhood, quality education and, in this context, the new challenge that the transition of children toward socialization and school represents. The idea is for governments to commit to implementing public policies aimed at fostering education and protecting children during the first years of their lives.
Among the speakers who will participate in the meeting are Eugene García, current adviser to the U.S. Ministry of Education and who took part in preparing the curricular proposal on early education for President Obama’s government; Rosa Blanco, UNESCO regional specialist on early education; Gaby Fujimoto, specialist from the OAS Department of Culture and Education, and Fraser Mustard, physician and scientist, chair of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, among many others.

More information
Early Childhood, UNESCO Santiago. More

Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles (JUNJI). More

Draft agenda. More

Contact:
Magdalena Figueroa Guzmán, Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles (JUNJI), mfigueroa@junji.cl

• Author(s):OREALC/UNESCO Santiago
• Source:OREALC/UNESCO Santiago
• 22-05-2009