PRESCHOOLERS and parents took part in an early morning march along the streets of Labasa Town yesterday to mark the beginning of the Early Childhood Education week in the north.
Speaking at the opening of the ECE week celebrations, senior education officer north Bua/Macuata Letila Mataitoga referred to kindergarten as an important stage in a child's life as it is the foundation of education.
"Therefore there is a need to ensure that our preschoolers receive the best treatment during this stage of education as this will have a huge effect in their education career," she said.
"Children are our wealth and future, and parents please do bear in mind that these very children are the opening doors to blessings that you alone will learn of in years to come.
"We need to show these children how special they are to us."
Mrs Mataitoga also lauded kindergarten teachers in the north, saluting them for the enormous task they performed during the early childhood learning period.
She also announced the Ministry of Education's intentions to change and improve the working conditions of preschool teachers nationwide.
"Either by 2015 or 2014 at the earliest, the government intends to pay preschool teachers hourly as they deserve," said Mrs Mataitoga.
"However, there are pre-requisites to these conditions and the government needs qualified preschool teachers in the area of ECE.