Q: The discussion of character and citizenship education (CCE) usually revolves at the primary, secondary and junior college level. Can CCE be adapted for pre-school children, i.e., in early childhood education?
Indeed, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) can and should be taught in early childhood to provide children with a good foundation for “character building, lifelong learning, and learning to live harmoniously with others” (Ministry of Education, 2023). In the recently revised Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework 2022, there is a stronger emphasis on inculcating a set of core values, social and emotional competencies (SECs) and learning dispositions during the preschool years. Importantly, there is a strong alignment between the values and SECs described in the NEL Framework and the CCE 2021 Curriculum Frame. In fact, the core values in the NEL framework (respect, responsibility, care, and honesty) are a subset of the core values in the CCE 2021 Curriculum Frame, and the same set of SECs are emphasized in both frameworks.
Within the context of early childhood education, educators are encouraged to infuse the learning of values, SECs and learning dispositions within each of the five learning areas (language and literacy, numeracy, aesthetics and creative expression, discovery of the world, health, safety and motor skills development) in the NEL framework. Educators also play an important role in creating a positive school culture that fosters children’s learning of core values, SECs, and learning dispositions. This includes:
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- Creating a warm, respectful, and safe environment for children to explore and learn confidently.
- Role modelling behaviours and language that reflect examples of positive attitudes, values, and SECs.
- Enabling clear channels of communication and collaboration among educators and between educators and parents to reinforce children’s learning across different contexts.
References
Ministry of Education, Singapore (2023). Educators’ Guide for Values, Social and Emotional Competencies and Learning Dispositions. https://www.nel.moe.edu.sg/
