Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) is thrilled to award a GLAD[1] to Mail & Guardian for an article in the publication’s 12 September, 2021 issue titled, “Early education can play a powerful role in fostering inclusion” which was well researched and highlighted critical child-related issues.

The article mainly focused on the plight of immigrant children from Roma who live in Orehovica, a town in the north of Croatia and the impact that early education has on their health, mental well-being and overall behaviour when they become adults. According to the story, 50 years of research in the United States of America found that children who were enrolled in early childhood education were more likely to do better in school, employment and less likely to be on the wrong side of the law.

The article highlights that “children disadvantaged as a result of disability, ethnicity, language, poverty, migration or displacement not only are already more likely to suffer from malnutrition and poor health, they are also more likely to be unable to access preschool education.” These are some of the key factors that were highlighted by this article written by Manos Antoninis who is the director of the Global Education Monitoring Report produced by the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation.

While having children’s voices would have further enriched this great article that speaks so well of children and how they develop, MMA still applauds Mail & Guardian for publishing the article. We hope the article grabs the attention of policy makers in South Africa and that the case studies used in the article will be used to improve early childhood education in South Africa.  

Written by Bantse Pelle

Edited by Lister Namumba

[1] A GLAD is awarded to media for reporting on children responsibly and for highlighting issues facing them