The Importance of Early-Years Education

An article in the Economist this week discusses the importance of early-years education: http://www.economist.com/news/international/21571416-early-years-education-can-mean-better-school-results-later-little-steps

Here is a very interesting quote from the article: “90% of the brain develops between the ages of zero to five, yet we spend 90% of our dollars on kids above the age of five, says Timothy Knowles of the University of Chicago.”

Ever since I read Jim Trelease' the Read Aloud Handbook, I've been a proponent and believer of early-years education. Besides the importance of formal early education as discussed in the Economist article, I strongly believe that parents should play a larger role. I penned my opinion about this in a Berita Harian article here: https://twitter.com/ilmuialahkuasa/status/260454381219086336/photo/1

However, another quote from the same Economist article above should serve as a caution for us: "Too much pressure too early may set children up for failure later, notes Alan Smithers, a British education expert." The rise of tiger mothers has been seen as a threat in some Asian countries (http://www.economist.com/node/21563354). Some Malaysians may remember a girl who got into Oxford to study mathematics at the age of 13 years old, but became a prostitute, among other reasons in my opinion, to rebel against all the pressure she received when growing up.

I strongly think we should encourage, not forcing our kids. We should start by picking up a habit to read a book, newspaper or magazine in from of them when they are still young - reading habit is infectious! Jim Trelease's book discusses this in more detail.

What can politicians do? Here are some of my two-cents: http://wacanamalaysia.blogspot.com/2012/10/collection-of-ideas-to-support-early.html