Home About Us Cover Story Selected Articles
Editorials 编辑室 > The Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood Education
投资学前教育回报大
Poon Sing Wah (Chief Editor)
Published: EduNation, Issue 5, September-October 2013
The Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood Education

As the global economy slows down, every country is tightening its expenditure and saving wherever possible. Should expenditure on early childhood education also be decreased when it “seems comparatively unimportant?”

No, definitely not!

Annual Returns of 7–10%

Professor James J. Heckman, winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2000 and Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, concluded the findings of the 40-year-long Perry Preschool Project. When he advised the United States government in 2008 to increase its investment in early childhood education, he said, “Investing in quality pre-school education has higher returns than any other investment. The estimate of the overall annual social rate of return is in the range of seven to ten per cent. And this investment should start when the child is as young as possible. The rate of return has an inverse relationship with the age of the child.”

Professor Heckman found that investment in early childhood education benefits the child immensely. Children who have gone through quality pre-school education will grow up to be more confident, do better in school, get better jobs, be more productive and earn higher salaries. Because society has groomed good citizens, crime rate will fall, resulting in a drop in numbers of those on welfare and hence also in expenditure on welfare. The burden on the country will therefore be lightened.

Professor Heckman’s conclusion is based on Dr David Weikart’s 1962–65 Perry Preschool Project, which involved 123 poor three- and four-year-old African American children. These same children were then tracked through their 27th and 40th birthdays in order to see how their lives had progressed.

All 123 children had low IQ scores, poor family backgrounds and uneducated parents. Researchers randomly assigned 58 participants to the programme group. Four experienced teachers trained in early childhood education gave lessons to small groups of these participants for two and a half hours a day. Weekly home visits were also conducted to follow up on the children’s academic development. The other 65 children were in the control group that did not go through the programme. All participants went to the same kindergarten and later, school.

Evidence of Effectiveness at Ages 27 and 40

The follow-up at age 27 (outcomes for pre-school group vs. control group) produced the following data:

  1. Completed an average of almost one full year more of schooling (11.9 years vs. 11 years).
  2. Spent an average of 1.3 fewer years in special education services — e.g. for mental, emotional, speech, or learning impairment (3.9 years vs. 5.2 years).
  3. 44 per cent higher high school graduation rate (65 per cent vs. 45 per cent).
  4. Much lower proportion of out-of-wedlock births (57 per cent vs. 83 per cent).
  5. 50 per cent fewer teen pregnancies on average (0.6 pregnancies/woman vs. 1.2 pregnancies/woman).

And at age 40 (outcomes for pre-school group vs. control group):

  1. 46 per cent less likely to have served time in jail or prison (28 per cent vs. 52 per cent).
  2. 33 per cent lower arrest rate for violent crimes (32 per cent vs. 48 per cent).
  3. 42 per cent higher median monthly income ($1,856 vs. $1,308).
  4. 26 per cent less likely to have received government assistance (e.g. welfare, food stamps) in the past ten years (59 per cent vs. 80 per cent).

This early childhood education experiment surely proves that pre-school education is of vital importance.

The Lien Foundation’s Early Childhood Education Survey of 45 Countries

In 2011, the Lien Foundation, one of Singapore’s leading philanthropic organisations, commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) to conduct a survey of early childhood education in 45 countries. Although the global economic outlook wasn’t very rosy, countries had nevertheless adopted different attitudes towards early childhood education. Although European countries had been worst hit in terms of economic growth, they had maintained their belief in the importance of early childhood education and its subsequently beneficial effects, so funding in this area had not been seriously affected.

The report found that early childhood education is critical in terms of neuroscience, sociology and economics. Neuro-scientific research tells us that early brain development is critical; social science research tells us that high quality programmes improve children’s readiness for school and life; econometric research tells us that high quality programmes save society a significant amount of money over time. Early childhood education contributes to creating the kinds of workforces that are going to be needed in the 21st century.

On top of these benefits, it helps facilitate greater female participation in the workforce which in turn bolsters economic growth. Early childhood development is also a major force in helping overcome issues relating to child poverty and educational disadvantage. This is especially so in societies with generational and cyclical repetitions of poverty and low achievement.

Accessible Pre-school Education Makes for Social Equality

The report also pointed out that the availability of early childhood education has an important role to play in helping to reduce social inequality. This is especially true for immigrant families, those with low incomes, and single-parent households. This not only means that mothers can continue to work and that parents can work more, but that pre-school also better prepares children for formal education, improving educational outcomes later in life and enhancing their future earning potential.

In addition, going to pre-school allows children from poorer families to access better food and nutrition, thus helping them to build a stronger body for better education. This is clearly of long-term benefit to the country that invests in early childhood education.

The report concluded that early childhood education should always be on the policy radar and not overlooked in the battle for funding. Greater attention should be given to the research that highlights how investment in the early years can in turn help cut costs for both the individual and society in later years. Another lesson is that while the quality of provision is crucial for developing such benefits, human capital development should be prioritised ahead of infrastructure and technology. “The learning happens because the teacher is trained to help facilitate development in such environments. You can pour equipment and computers into schools as much as you like, but it is to no avail if the appropriate adult-child interaction is overlooked.”

Fees Must Be Affordable for All Parents

Since early childhood education is of great significance to both individual and country, the report pointed out that school fees must be affordable for all. Of the 45 countries surveyed, the richer ones typically provide affordable early childhood services but pre-schools in lower-income countries tend to be highly priced precisely because these countries have fewer government kindergarten places, and the vacuum is filled by private profiteering operators.

In terms of affordability, China came in last. The survey showed that in China pre-school fees were higher than university tuition fees. In 2010, tuition and accommodation at Peking University, one of the country’s best, cost just US$102 (S$128) a month but leading pre-schools were charging up to US$660 (S$826). The Chinese government also provides little by way of subsidies, which also contributed to China’s ranking.

Although American pre-schools rank among the most expensive in the world when measured at an absolute level — a number of pre-schools in New York charge in excess of US$30,000 (S$37,555) per year — the country is nevertheless among the more affordable for private pre-schools as a proportion of per capita income measured at purchasing power parity rates.

Teacher Quality Most Important

In the report, the EIU said that high quality teachers must be employed in order to maintain the quality of pre-schools. An inspirational teacher can make a substantial difference to a child almost regardless of the quality of the environment and resources at hand. The government of every country therefore needs to ensure that the quality of pre-school teachers continually meets a high standard.

The report pointed to many ways of raising the quality of teachers: increasing teacher salaries and social status, promoting skills development, setting professional development frameworks, reducing student-teacher ratios in classes, setting clear curriculum guidelines, bolstering parental involvement and awareness, ensuring good health and safety measures, creating clear links between pre-school and primary school and putting in place robust data collection mechanisms.

Countries as Case Studies

Quality early childhood education has positive effects on adulthood and can directly cut a country’s expenditure, therefore it needs to be readily available. Unsurprisingly then, the EIU has suggested asking every country to draft a law for everyone to have at least one year of free pre-school education.

Finland

Finland, which took first place in the report, has provided a significant amount of free pre-school education to every child since the 1960s. Every six-year-old child enjoys a year of free half-day classes which is complemented with day care for the other half of the day. Coupled with a programme that gives parents very affordable access to full-day childcare from birth to the age of six, all Finnish children enter primary school having had a comprehensive six years of pre-school education.

Since the 1960s, when the government invested heavily in the training of teachers, pre-school teachers in Finland have all been graduates and teachers at the primary level and above have had a Master’s degree. Teachers are accorded the same respect as lawyers and doctors. They enjoy good wages, low class ratios and are the recipients of strong institutional trust. The high quality of Finnish education means the students aren’t asked to sit for standardised exams and their teachers are neither assessed nor evaluated.

Chile

Chile, located in South America, is not a rich country. However, it has made a concerted effort in its pre-school provision in recent years in order to increase social mobility. This has led to the country placing 20th on this report, surpassing many wealthy nations.

Between 2006 and 2009, the number of pre-schools increased from 781 to 4,300 and about 85 per cent of four-year-olds and 90 per cent of five-year-olds now attend pre-school. Two principal providers of early childhood education — JUNJI and the Integra Foundation — offer free education for children from three months to four years old, and account for about 50 per cent of pre-school places in the country.

However, while pre-school education is becoming very much more accessible, education specialist Dr Cortazar said, “They talk about the importance of early childhood, but they are reluctant to put in all the money required to achieve high quality. Everyone wants to help young children and everyone talks about brain development, but the problem is that it is still difficult to make society realise that early childhood education entails much more than opening early childhood slots.”

Greece

Greece came in 27th overall in the ranking, and 23rd in quality but the EIU report still showed that Greece’s early childhood education surpassed that of Australia and Singapore.

In the 1990s, the government made the bold decision to turn kindergarten teaching into a graduate profession. The government invested heavily in sending teachers on development courses which resulted in the quality of the nation’s pre-schools being raised.

Top 3 Spots Occupied by Nordic Countries

Of the 45 countries surveyed, the top three were all Scandinavian: Finland, Sweden and Norway. These countries’ high standard of living is the result of decades of emphasis on early childhood education. They have complete and comprehensive early childhood development strategies as well as legislation to guarantee children’s rights to early childhood education. All children aged three to six enjoy a pre-school education. Low-income families receive heavy subsidies from the government for their children to go to kindergarten. Even private providers charge fees which are affordable. Most importantly, they require teacher qualifications to be high, and offer competitive wages, high social status as well as low student-teacher ratios.

The experiences of these countries serve as a good reference as Singapore is preparing to embark on developing its early childhood education.

投资学前教育回报大
总编辑潘星华
刊载:《新学》, 5期,2013年9月-10月
世界经济放缓,各国政府普遍减少开支,可省即省。对牙牙学语不懂事的幼儿教育,“相比起来似乎不重要”,是否应该可减则减?

不!绝不!

年回报率可在7%至10%

2000年诺贝尔经济奖得奖人,美国芝加哥大学经济学教授詹姆斯·赫克曼(James Joseph Heckman)根据一份追踪40年的幼儿教育调查算了一笔账。他在2008年敦促美国政府加强对幼儿教育的投资说:“投资在高素质的幼儿教育上,要比投资在任何其它方面的回报率都高,年回报率可在7%至10%。而且这项高素质教育投资,要从孩子越小开始越好,越小回报率越高,随着孩子的年龄增长,回报率逐年降低。”

这位经济学家打响算盘说,政府投资幼儿教育,最大得益者是孩子。从小接受高素质的幼儿教育,长大后对自己更有信心、成绩更好,更容易找到好工作、生产力更高,赚更多钱。社会因为培养了好公民,社会犯罪问题减少了,拿社会救济金的人数减少了,整个社会的开销都减少了,国家的负担减轻了。

他发现社会可从投资获得七倍的回报。另外也有研究说,幼儿教育发展得好,纳税人每1元的投资,可获16元的回报,或年回报率从8%至17%。种种数字显示,社会开支可以大大减少。

赫克曼是根据美国教育家戴维·维卡尔特(David Weikart)于1962年至1965年对123名三至四岁美国贫困家庭的黑人小孩所进行的“佩里学前教育研究计划”(Perry Preschool Program Study)长期跟踪研究,得出上述结论。

这123名黑人小孩,基本情况相同,都是智商低,父母受教育程度低,家里贫穷。研究随意分配孩子,把58名小孩放在实验组,聘请四名受过幼师训练和有经验的教师,每人带五六个孩子,每天给他们上两小时半的课,每星期教师到家做一次家访,和母亲讨论孩子的学习进展。这个教学实验为期两年。另外65名对比组的学生,没有接受这两年的特别幼儿教育。两组学生于五岁后,同进入一所幼稚园和学校。

在这123名孩子27岁和40岁的时候,研究人员再对他们进行跟踪调查。

27岁时发现:

  1. 实验组学生比对比组学生多读1年书(11.9年:11年)
  2. 实验组学生比对比组学生的学习少需要特别照顾1.3年(3.9年:5.2年)
  3. 实验组学生比对比组学生毕业率高出44%(66%:45%)
  4. 实验组学生比对比组学生更少生私生子(57%:83%)
  5. 实验组学生比对比组学生更少少女怀孕

(怀孕率0.6:1.2)

40岁时发现:

  1. 实验组学生比对比组学生坐牢少46%(28%:52%)
  2. 实验组学生比对比组学生暴力犯罪少33%(32%:48%)
  3. 实验组学生比对比组学生月薪中数高出42%
    ($1856 : $1308)
  4. 实验组学生比对比组学生领取政府救济金者少26% (59%:80%)

这项学前教育长期研究,证明了学前教育的重要性。

连氏基金进行45国幼儿教育调查

新加坡慈善机构连氏基金于2011年委派“经济学人信息部”所作的45国幼儿教育调查报告书说,世界经济不景气,各国对幼儿教育拨款持不同的态度。欧洲国家的经济状态虽然最差,但是他们坚信幼儿教育的重要性,投资幼儿教育反而能节省国家整体开支,因此拨款并没有受到太大影响。

调查指出,三项研究从脑神经学、社会学和计量经济学证明幼儿教育非常重要。脑神经学研究指出幼年是脑神经发展的最重要时刻;社会学研究显示良好的幼儿教育能为孩子的人生做好充分准备。从计量经济学观点,就如经济学专家赫克曼教授指出,良好的幼儿教育能为国家省钱,所培养出来的工作队伍最适合21世纪所用。

除了上述种种好处,国家积极发展幼儿教育,最基本能让职业妇女安心上班,而最大的利益,还在于政府以高素质教育的力量“干预”低收入家庭,解决他们“代代是穷人,永无翻身之日”的社会流动力问题。

普及幼儿教育,能减少社会不平等现象

报告指出普及幼儿教育,提高托儿服务的供应量,能减少社会不平等现象。社会提供更多幼儿教育中心,对新移民、低收入、单亲家庭尤其重要。这不只表示能让更多妇女出外工作,家长有更长时间工作,还表示孩子日后的学习和工作生涯能深受其惠。

而且,从小接受幼儿教育也能让穷人家的孩子吃得比在家里更好,有更丰富的营养,打好强健体魄的基础,日后可以接受更好的教育。这是国家发展幼儿教育能直接收到的长远利益。

调查指出,国家领导人在思考如何分配国家资源的时候,应该永远记住投资幼儿教育能带动国家的整体经济,有长远影响,绝不能忽略。而即便在投资幼儿教育时,也要最重视师资的培训,资源少的话,要先用在教师身上。“投资人力资源远比投资基础设施或科技设施更重要。孩子有好的教师指导,建立良好的师生关系,远比美轮美奂的学校环境或先进的科技设备收获更大。国家的栋梁,是可以在简陋的环境里培养出来的。”

学费要让什么样的家长都能负担得起

幼儿教育既然对个人及对国家的发展有这么大的影响力,调查指出必须确保幼儿教育的学费“是什么样的家长都能负担得起”。在受调查的45国,研究发现富国一般能提供让家长负担得起的幼儿教育,穷国的幼儿教育则一般都是最昂贵的。因为穷国所提供幼儿教育的名额很少,真空就让牟利的私人业者占据了。

在“负担得起”这个栏目里,中国排名榜末。调查指出在中国,读幼儿园的费用比读大学还贵。2010年,名牌大学北京大学每月学费仅美元102元(约新币128元),但是名牌幼儿园的学费则高达美元660元(约新币826元)。

中国政府仅提供很少津贴给幼儿教育,所以排在榜末。

美国虽然是世界上幼儿园收费最贵的国家,在纽约有好几所每年的学费高达美元3万元(约新币3万7555元),但是调查指出美国的私立幼稚园以美国人均收入的购买力来说,仍是最能负担得起的。

教师素质最重要

经济学人信息部在报告说,要确保幼儿教育的素质,就要聘请高素质的教师。一位好教师,能在艰苦的教学环境或简陋的设备中,对学生起着点铁成金的作用。各国政府必须确保幼儿教师的素质是普遍达到高水平。

教师素质可从多方面来提高:提升教师的薪水及社会地位、提升教师的教学技能、提供教师专业发展渠道、减低师生比率、设定明晰的教学指南、带动家长参与、确保身体健康和安全措施、搭建与小学联系的桥梁、建立可靠的数据收集机制等。

优秀的幼儿教育对一个人成长的过程影响至深,能直接减轻国家的开销,所以必须尽量普及。经济学人信息部指出各国应该考虑立法强制每人都应该享有最少一年的免费学前教育。

芬兰

在45国“幼儿教育排名榜”榜首的芬兰即是从上世纪六十年代开始,立法让每个孩子享有接受免费幼儿教育的权利。每个六岁的孩子,享有一年免费的学前教育,连同从出生到五岁在托儿中心的学习,和政府提供的一年免费学前教育,芬兰孩子在进入小学前,充分地接受了完整的六年幼儿教育。

芬兰政府在上世纪六十年代大量拨款加强师资训练,在政府严格的要求下,幼儿教师均是大学毕业生,中小学教师则必须拥有硕士学位。教师在芬兰享有崇高的社会地位,和律师、医生同样受到社会人士尊重。薪水高,师生比率低,获得教育部对他们专业的信任。芬兰教育水平之高让学生无须接受统一考试,教师也不需要经过校外评估。

智利

位于南美洲的智利虽然不是富国,却在过去几年大力发展幼儿教育,要让人人接受幼儿教育来推动社会流动力。这个努力,使智利在幼儿教育排名榜上名列20,远远超过比它富有的国家。

2006年,智利全国仅有781所学前中心,到2009年,已经发展到4300所。80%的四岁孩童,和90%的五岁孩童都在学前中心里学习。免费的公立学前中心,由两个主要业者JUNJI 和Integra Foundation提供,他们吸收了50%学额,照顾从三个月到四岁的孩子。

不过,在智利大力普及幼儿教育的同时,专家科塔萨尔博士(Dr Cortazar)对经济学人信息部指出:“智利政府重量不重质,怎样设定素质的标准、条规和教师的培训,问题还有很多。”

希腊

希腊在45国“幼儿教育排名榜”名列27,在素质栏目则名列23,经济学人信息部表扬希腊的幼儿教育 “比澳大利亚和新加坡好”。

报告介绍希腊说,上世纪九十年代,政府要求所有幼稚园教师均须是大学毕业生,政府大量拨款协助幼师接受大学教育,这直接提升了希腊幼儿教育的素质。

北欧三国名列前茅

45国幼儿教育调查名列三甲的是北欧三国:芬兰、瑞典和挪威。这三国如今高素质的生活水平,是数十年重视幼儿教育打下来的。他们有完整的、详尽的幼儿教育发展策略、立法保护幼儿受教育的权益。三岁至六岁的孩子几乎都能完全接受幼儿教育的培育。低收入家庭能获得政府丰厚的津贴,让孩子进幼儿园。即便是私人企业经营的幼儿园,学费都是一般人能负担得起的。更重要的是,他们对教师的学历要求都很高,教师的薪水高、社会地位高、师生比率低。

诸国经验,都值得新加坡政府在为发展幼儿教育大张旗鼓的时候关注。

» Past Issues
» Last issue
» Contents

Contact us   |   Advertise with us   |   Privacy Policy
Published by WS Education is a subsidiary of

Copyright © 2021 EduNation Co. All rights reserved.