Early Childhood Care and Education in the Cook Islands
Early Childhood Care and Education in the Cook Islands cover the years from birth to school entry age. Preschools have been established since the early 1970’s with many schools in the Cooks having a preschool service attached to their school. Early Childhood Education in the Cook Islands is changing to meet the changing needs of families.
The development of full day Early Childhood education services reflects social and economic changes in society as women increasingly move into employment while their children are young. For comparable economic and social reasons, Early Childhood services for infants and toddlers have been established and will continue to grow. The idea of a curriculum for infants and toddlers is new. Much of the curriculum discourse has focused on three and four year olds. This document provides a curriculum framework for infant and toddler programmes that address the particular needs and capabilities of this younger age group.