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Dear Sir,
I am writing in order to register my disappointment and disapproval of the proposed changes to the Nursery Education Funding program.
Having attended both the scrutiny panel hearing and the Public Meeting at the Pomme D'or, I am struck by a number of things; Namely that the Minister and his team have clearly applied little or no thought to the ramifications of their proposed changes and secondly the huge extent of the overwhelming public disproval of said proposed changes.
It is crucial to underline that nursery education is fundamentally essential to the development of our children. Study after study has proven this. A recent UN report specifically highlighted this area and its importance when looking at the development of infants in their early years education. It is the centre point to their cognitive and social- emotional development.
As a small Island with an ageing population, we need to invest in all of our children in order to maximise their potential and to protect our society over the coming decades. Indeed, the UN findings state "Early Childhood Development is seen as one of the most cost efficient investments in human capital which leads to a country's sustainable development"
http://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood/index_69851.html