Student-s learning loss: the results of unequal access to Early Childhood Education
George Sukoco (a); Senza Arsendy (a); Yusuf Faisal Martak (a)
Inovasi untuk Anak Sekolah Indonesia (INOVASI) Jakarta - Ratu Plaza Office Tower - 19th Floor Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 9, Jakarta, Indonesia
Abstract
Growing body of evidence has found Early Childhood Education (ECE) gives longer-term beneficial effect on student-s cognitive ability. Unfortunately, in developing countries, and especially other low-resources environment, too few children have a privilege to attend ECE. Using INOVASI large-scale longitudinal datasets, this study presents the inequality issue of accessing ECE and its effect on student-s learning outcomes in Indonesia. The finding suggests that participation rate in ECE is significantly higher in more developed provinces. It is mainly dominated by students from better off economic background, and more well-educated and caring parents. The gap has been also revealed on student-s learning achievement in which children participating in ECE have substantially better outcomes compared to their counterpart. Students who did not enrol in ECE may lose almost two years of learning. This evidence suggests that the government needs to improve access to ECE and its quality particularly for less disadvantaged children in remote areas. Lack of concern on this issue will produce a wider inequality in education.
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, cognitive ability, education inequality, students learning outcomes
Topic: Access, Participation and Quality of Early Childhood Education