Latest news with #EarlyChildhood
CNA
11 hours ago
- General
- CNA
Parents seek answers after sudden closure of preschool in Bishan
Parents affected by the sudden closure of a preschool in Bishan are seeking answers, after they were initially given just a day's notice of the closure. Little Paddington Preschool has since delayed the closure by a week, and offered enrolment at its other branch at Thomson Walk around five kilometres away. It will also arrange transport for affected students. The Early Childhood Development Agency said it will take action against the preschool, if it is found not to have done its due diligence. At least six months' notice must be given to both parents and the Early Childhood Development Agency for preschool closures. Chloe Teo reports.
Gulf Today
26-05-2025
- General
- Gulf Today
Salem Al Qasimi attends SEA's graduation ceremony
Sheikh Salem Bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Ruler's Office, attended the third graduation ceremony of the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA) on Sunday. The event took place at the University City Hall in Sharjah. Following the rendition of the UAE national anthem, Dr Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Academy, delivered a speech in which she expressed deep gratitude to His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his continued support of the Academy since its establishment. Dr Al Hashimi thanked Sheikh Salem for honouring the graduates. She congratulated the graduates and their families, wishing them success. She praised Sharjah's impressive achievements in education, noting the ongoing support from the Ruler of Sharjah, and emphasised that this graduating class is part of a bigger vision for excellence in education. The Academy graduated 313 individuals from different academic programmes, including teachers, school leaders, and early childhood specialists. This included 145 graduates from the third group of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education, 74 from the second group of the Master of Education in Educational Leadership, 28 from the first group of the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership, and 66 from the second group of the Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Among them, 28 graduates participated in the 'I Am Proud to Be a Teacher' programme. Dr Al Hashimi ended her speech with a warm message to the graduates, highlighting their role as ambassadors of excellence and supporters of meaningful education. She encouraged them to promote Sharjah's vision for quality education with dedication, passion, and a commitment to lifelong learning. She urged them to take on their responsibilities as decision-makers and innovators, helping to shape the future of education in line with Sharjah's forward-thinking approach. For her part, Pauline Taylor-Guy, Chancellor of Sharjah Education Academy, delivered a speech in which she congratulated the graduates, highlighting the Academy's role in preparing educators. She said, 'Today, we celebrate a group of passionate educators and leaders who have demonstrated great determination, dedication, and resilience throughout their academic journey. Your graduation marks not just the end of a study programme, but the beginning of a new chapter in your professional lives. You are changemakers, inspiring role models, and the future of education. You have chosen a noble path that requires a clear vision, compassion, and unwavering commitment.' Taylor added, referring to the Sharjah Education Academy's vision for teaching, preparing, and developing professional teachers, 'The Academy's vision is based on developing teachers and educational experts through diverse and innovative academic and professional programmes, grounded in scientific research. We have taken significant steps toward transforming the educational landscape.' Through our accredited diploma and master's programmes, strategic global partnerships, and research-driven initiatives, we have empowered hundreds of educators to gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead classrooms and educational institutions. Maryam Al Balushi, a graduate of the Master of Education in Educational Leadership programme, delivered a speech on behalf of the graduates, expressing their joy at completing their studies and graduating. She said, 'Today, we carry in our hearts the joy of accomplishment, in our eyes a passion for the future, and in our souls a noble mission that we have chosen to carry with pride. 'We have honed our expertise at the Sharjah Education Academy with knowledge, methodology, and modern visions, enabling us to return to our educational fields more empowered and contribute to building an educational community with solid foundations that elevates the status of teachers and raises the standards of students.' Al Balushi added, noting the Sharjah Education Academy's significant efforts in advancing the mission of teachers and education, 'We have learned at the Sharjah Education Academy that teaching is not just a profession, but rather a mission that begins with planting hope and ends with empowering generations.' WAM
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How Princess Kate Showed "Real Leadership" on an Important Issue Tied to Her Role Within the Royal Family
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Since returning to her role as a senior member of the Royal Family, Princess Kate has been widely praised for showing "inner steal." Following a cancer diagnosis in early 2024, the Princess of Wales underwent preventative chemotherapy. Now, Kate is being celebrated for showing "real leadership" by helping to effect change in an important area. In 2023, Kate Middleton launched a Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, with a view to inspiring companies to change their policies regarding parental leave to help nurture families. As reported by Hello! magazine, Princess Kate's efforts appear to be paying off, as "Deloitte UK [is] changing its parental policies to give all parents 26 weeks full pay." An organization called The Dad Shift is campaigning to change the law and allow fathers access to more paid parental leave. Co-founder Alex Lloyd-Hunter told Hello!, "Just last week we were outside Buckingham Palace hanging up baby grows spelling, 'Two weeks isn't enough,' so we're delighted to learn the Princess of Wales has been championing good paternity leave behind the scenes." Lloyd-Hunter continued, "It's good to see more and more companies realizing that better paternity leave is in their interest and stepping up with generous policies. But the vast majority of smaller businesses can't afford to do this, and that means their employees are stuck with the worst paternity leave in Europe." The Dad Shift's co-founder suggested that the government needs to step in to "significantly improve our statutory offer so every father and non-birthing parent gets a decent amount of properly paid leave." Celebrating Kate's contribution to the important issue, Lloyd-Hunter told the outlet, "The princess has shown real leadership on this issue—now it's time for ministers to follow her example."
eNCA
24-05-2025
- General
- eNCA
Raising awareness about children's rights
JOHANNESBURG - Ahead of national child protection week, we focus on the role of Early Childhood Development centers, beyond the drop-off points for working parents. To the 1.7 million children attending ECDs, these facilities are the first line of defence in protecting their rights. Teachers render a professional service to safeguard children's rights to survive, thrive and grow into their full potential. These centres are often the only place where destitute children receive daily nutritious meals.
Business Wire
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Ontario's Students Deserve Better: the Ontario School Board Council of Unions Calls on the Ford Government to Immediately Address the Understaffing and Funding Crisis in Public Education Ahead of the Release of the Provincial Budget
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--There is a crisis in public education in Ontario. Classrooms are frequently evacuated because of violent episodes, completely disrupting the learning environment for students. Educational Assistants are overburdened with work and students are not provided the supports they need. Libraries are closing for days at a time because school boards do not have the funds to keep libraries open. Our schools are not being cleaned properly because there are nowhere near enough custodians to keep up with the mounting workload. Too many Kindergarten students are denied the support of a Designated Early Childhood Educator in their classroom. And it's Ontario's students who are suffering the most. They are being failed by a system that does not support them because of a chronic understaffing crisis created by consistent underfunding by the provincial government. Today, the Ontario School Board of Unions (OSBCU) is calling on the Ford government to immediately address the ongoing funding crisis in public education and: Commit to increase real per-pupil funding (including the restoration of all funding cuts due to inflation and enrolment growth) to improve student and staff supports; Commit to increase staffing in all education worker classifications to meet all student needs (including Educational Assistant support for all students who need it, Designated Early Childhood Educators in every classroom with kindergarten students, adequately staffed school offices and libraries, and clean and well maintained buildings); A meaningful plan to address the violence epidemic in schools; A plan to make schools accessible and inclusive for all students. The school board sector has been defunded by over $2.3 billion in the 2024-25 school year alone, due to spending not keeping pace with inflation and enrolment growth. This number grows to $10.66 billion since the Ford government formed government, and $14.44 billion since 2012-2013. It is clear that Ontario has the resources to fund schools sufficiently to meet student needs and restore the world class education system Ontario students and parents deserve. Public education in Ontario is at a breaking point. We can no longer allow our students and staff to deal with these conditions. We need an immediate surge in funding, we need properly staffed schools, and we need it now. Our students deserve better, our parents and communities deserve better, and education workers deserve better. The OSBCU represents more than 57,000 education workers in Ontario. kl/cope491
