Early childhood care and education in Trinidad & Tobago: An analysis of centre-based provision for children under five

Abstract

This study examined the context of early childhood care and education in Trinidad and Tobago. Four interrelated surveys were used to analyse centre-based provision. Measures used included two global measures--the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) and the Classroom Practices Inventory (CPI)--interviews, questionnaires, and naturalistic observations. The sample consisted of a representative 10 percent sample of 883 parents, 2,370 children, and 79 teacher/caregivers at 79 participating public and private centres in Trinidad and Tobago. Study findings indicated that: 1) private programmes provided largely inappropriate activities for children, 2) staff in private settings need professional training, and 3) the public setting provided adequate provision for children under five. The study also explored the issue of quality--its relation to cultural values, needs, and interests--and the use of global measures for cross-cultural studies