There are presently twenty-seven Government Pre-school Units located in New Providence and the Family Island. Twenty-four of these units are attached to Primary Schools. Three of our pre-schools are in separate facilities and are managed by pre-school principals.
Curriculum Development
The Department of Education pre-school programme facilitates the holistic development of the young child in the six developmental areas; language, physical, creative,social, cognitive, emotional and spiritual.Each child should develop a positive self-esteem, strong value system and self-control. The child should develop a positive attitude in dealing with daily activities which will encompass independence, responsibility and cooperation.Through sound developmentally appropriate activities within an integrated curriculum, each child explores and develops skills and concepts. This takes place in a safe, relaxing, caring, supportive, healthy, anti-prejudicial environment. In addition to the pre-school's instruction, an educational alliance with parents and the community further enhances the growth and development of the young child.
Pre-school Scheduling
The daily schedule of the pre-school encompasses all aspects of the pre-school programme through the activities and interactions in which the children engage. The morning portion of the day provides many opportunities for the children to become involved in activities which enhance the development of language, social, emotional and cognitive skills. In the afternoons, physical and creative activities both indoor and outdoor provide opportunities for exercise, creative expression and exploration. The routines of lunch, toileting and rest time encourage healthy and nutritional practices within the classroom.The Department of Education's pre-school programme allows each child to acquire the necessary skills and attitudes to become productive, contributing members of society. The Pre-school curriculum is under revision.
The Readiness Programme
The Readiness Programme was implemented in 1996 to address the needs of children entering grade one without the basic pre-requisite skills.It is designed to provide the children with the necessary skills to successfully complete the grade one programme. Children are exposed to information, concepts and the opportunity to acquire skills through an integrated approach which emphasizes learning through play, experiment and discovery.The programme guide document focuses on four areas, Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Science and Basic Concepts. Topics, concepts and skills are those covered in the grade one schemes of work.
The programme provides:
A variety of interactive activities
Critical Thinking and Problem solving Skills
Activities that build self-esteem through praise and encouragement
