By Staycey Yalo, EMTV News, Port Moresby
The Early Childhood Development Advocacy and Awareness meeting this week focused on caring for a child since conception to the age of three.
According to specialist Dr. Michael Simon of the Economic Policy Institution in America, the period between conception and the age of 3 of a child, is very crucial in terms of brain development.
And he said it is this stage which PNG and other Pacific Island nations need to focus on in terms of development to the future.
“Cognitive capital is a concept that represents knowledge as a scarce resource that can be traded with money, social influence, and political power. It is recognised as the key asset of institutions and economic organisations. The concept of capital cognitive in early childhood development is very important for Papua New Guinea,” He said.
Dr. Samson has 33 years of experience working in Social Protection, and specialises in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating social protection programmes and policies, on early childhood investments. His project experience in these areas includes work in 44 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific as well as many related publications.
The Meeting saw presentations by likeminded individuals on early childhood development from organisations such as Unicef, Education Department, JICA, Health Department, and the Department of Community Development, Health & Religion.
Director of Child & Family Services at the Department of Community Development, Youth & Religion, Simon Yanis, said Dr. Samson’s presentation has changed the way ECD workers have viewd their work.
He expressed satisfaction in the fact that the government has recognise the importance of early childhood care which captures parents responsibility to a child which Dr. Samson said is very important.
