Parents and families should take up their role as children’s first teachers

Early experiences have a great impact on children’s development and investing in parent education can alter these experiences for the better. [Courtesy: iStockphoto]

Covid-19 has taught us that learning is both important and possible at home. When the pandemic hit and schools closed for almost a year, parents faced the new challenge of being parents and teachers. Embracing this role was not easy. Some said they were busy, others claimed they could not support children’s learning because they were not teachers.

Luckily, some children benefited from virtual learning interventions. Unfortunately, for those from poor communities with limited access to internet or radio, learning was not possible. While most interventions targeted primary and secondary schools. Infants and toddlers, some of whom had started pre-school and those still under the care of their parents, were overlooked.