Abstract
It is undisputed that birth to three are the foundational years where the youngest in our society experience extraordinary growth that contributes towards their development and learning. High quality programmes direct their efforts at building caring relationships, providing nurturing environments and working in partnerships with families and communities. Acting to develop responsive programmes and equitable practices, however, is not straightforward. Contestations have been brought to the fore by dissenting voices to mainstream narratives that privilege certain ways of knowing young children. In light of this, it is critical to ask: How has the dominant knowledge base for birth to three side-lined a focus on context? What does a case study of Africa suggest about contextual issues related to birth to three? How might we proceed for more affirming birth to three practices in a global and diverse world?
Author Biography
Hasina Banu Ebrahim
Hasina Banu Ebrahim (PhD) is a professor in Early Childhood Education
at the University of South Africa. She is also the UNESCO Co-chair in Early
Care, Development and Education. She is leading a European Union–funded
project on professionalisation of early childhood education for birth to 4 in South Africa. Her
research interests include early childhood policy, practice and workforce development
with special reference to issues of marginality from Global South perspectives.
Recommended Citation
Ebrahim, H.
(2019).
Unlocking Birth to Three: Context Really Matters.
Occasional Paper Series,
(42).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58295/2375-3668.1334
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