In reality, the provision of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Manggarai Barat Regency, NTT Province, is still grappling with several issues. One of the most critical and urgent problems is the low qualifications and competencies of ECE educators and administrators. The academic qualifications and competencies of ECE educators and administrators in Manggarai Barat Regency often fall short of the expected standards. Many ECE teachers have not received sufficient professional training, resulting in suboptimal abilities in teaching and classroom management. Additionally, ECE administrators frequently lack the readiness to provide professional educators, adequate facilities and infrastructure, and sufficient financial resources to ensure the well-being of educators and the sustainability of ECE institutions.
To address the issues of low qualifications and competencies among ECE educators and administrators, Gugah Nurani Indonesia Manggarai Barat CDP organized two activities, namely the Creative Learning Training for ECE Teachers from June 20 to 22, 2024 and the Dissemination of ECE Management Guidelines for ECE Administrators/Heads of ECE Schools in Kuwus and Kuwus Barat Sub-districts of Manggarai Barat Regency on June 25, 2024. Both activities featured speakers from the PG PAUD Study Program at the Catholic University of Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng, Mr. Fransiskus De Gomes, S.Fil., M.Pd.
The training began with an assessment of participants' initial abilities (pretest). On the first day, participants were trained to manage student administration and develop teaching materials. On the second day, teachers conducted simulations of lessons based on their respective teaching materials. On the third day, teachers were trained to develop child development assessment tools, collect data, analyze data, and create child development reports.
For ECE administrators, the activity aimed to enhance their understanding and skills in organizing the ECE curriculum, managing ECE educators and staff, organizing essential facilities and infrastructure for ECE provision, organizing ECE program activities, and managing ECE financing. In practice, participants were trained to prepare the Budget Work Plan (BWP), annual work programs, program supervision instruments, and manage facilities and infrastructure.
At the final stage of each activity, the speakers assessed the competencies achieved by the training participants. The focus of this final assessment was on understanding the concepts and skills needed to provide quality ECE services. The assessment results regarding the teachers' understanding and skills in delivering lessons showed that: first, the teachers had a good grasp of and were able to create and use student administration effectively. Second, the teachers could develop teaching materials, Daily Learning Implementation Plans (DLIP), and create Educational Play Tools (EPT) based on the potential of their local environment. Third, the teachers understood and were able to create enjoyable learning experiences for children. Fourth, the teachers were capable of developing assessment instruments, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing child development reports.
Notes that ECE teachers should consider include:
It is necessary to develop a variety of play designs and types to prevent children from getting bored during learning.
The commitment of teachers to implement learning needs to be enhanced. This suggestion is based on the fact that after participating in the training, teachers' competencies have improved, but in practice, teachers have not yet implemented learning according to their competencies. Therefore, cross-sector collaboration is needed to increase the motivation and commitment of ECE teachers in delivering high-quality education.
The final assessment results for ECE managers indicate that, conceptually, they have understood the management of quality ECE, which includes curriculum management, educators and educational staff, facilities and infrastructure, administration, and financing. However, at the implementation level, managers are not yet fully prepared, especially concerning facilities and financing. Therefore, managers need to collaborate with various stakeholders to address these issues.
Corrective notes on the competencies achieved by ECE educators and managers from this training involve multiple parties. With a holistic and sustainable approach, and cooperation between the government, community, and non-governmental organizations, it is hoped that the quality of ECE provision in the area can improve. Early childhood is the future of the nation, and investing in their education is an investment in a better future.
Edited by: FD Team
