Crawford flags developmental gaps in Jamaica's early childhood education sector

Damion Crawford, Opposition Spokesman on Education, has criticised what he described as serious weaknesses in Jamaica's early childhood sector, warning that a sizeable share of four-year-olds enter the formal school system without first being assessed.

Crawford highlighted the gaps on Tuesday during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

"Of approximately 29,729 four-year-olds assessed in 2024, only 54.4 percent met all expected developmental milestones. Additionally, 19 per cent of enrolled students were not assessed. When adjusted to the estimated age cohort, only 37 per cent of children were assessed as having fully met all expected developmental milestones," he said.

"This indicates that a significant proportion of children are entering primary school without the necessary developmental readiness. More concerning is that these deficiencies are largely environmental and structural, not biological," Crawford added.

According to him, the system is letting children down well before they reach the classroom for formal education.

"Access remains limited, particularly for children aged zero to three. Provision is heavily dependent on private and community operators, making access contingent on the ability to pay," Crawford outlined.

He pointed out that only around 15 per cent of institutions are fully certified, while funding sits at roughly 0.24 per cent of GDP — well short of the one per cent international benchmark.

"Additionally, fewer than 19 per cent of teachers at this level hold a bachelor's degree," Crawford added.