To celebrate its 7th anniversary, SEAMEO CECCEP held an International Seminar titled “Empowering Parents and Educators for Early Childhood Development: A Cultural and Gender Perspective” on July 24, 2024. This event also marked the implementation of the SEAMEO CECCEP Writing Fellowship. The event was conducted in a hybrid format and was attended by 60 practitioners and academics.
In the discussion, Ms. Suci Ramdaeni, M.Pd., stated that culture played a fundamental role in shaping children's experiences and development. Culture influenced parenting practices, educational approaches, and societal expectations. By understanding and respecting cultural nuances, parents and educators could provide more relevant and effective support for children. Integrating cultural traditions and values into early childhood education practices could create richer and deeper environments that aligned with children's backgrounds and identities, thereby enhancing their development.
Ade Dwi Utami, Ph.D., presented her research findings, which showed that teachers and preschool children often maintained stereotypical gender expectations in play. Girls typically held more hierarchical roles, while boys had more freedom to act within gender-stereotyped play. Gender-categorized toys and their inherent qualities influenced children's toy interests and actual play choices. Children showed greater interest in gender-categorized and neutral toys compared to gender-specific ones.
Gender roles and expectations could significantly impact children's development from an early age. Traditional gender norms could limit opportunities and perpetuate biases affecting both boys and girls. Addressing these biases and promoting gender equality in early childhood education settings was crucial to ensuring that all children had equal opportunities to grow and develop. Empowering parents and educators with knowledge and strategies to support gender-equitable practices could lead to more balanced and inclusive developmental outcomes.
Yohan Rubiyantoro, Ph.D., discussed early childhood leadership and parent involvement through case studies of public kindergartens. His findings showed that parents played a crucial role in school leadership. They believed that educational programs would not run smoothly without parental involvement. Parents' contributions varied, ranging from financial assistance to labor and providing food. Despite this, parents' involvement in policy-making and school oversight was still lacking.
The seminar succeeded in raising awareness and understanding of the importance of cultural and gender perspectives in early childhood development. With strong collaboration between parents, educators, and various stakeholders, it was hoped that more inclusive and culturally relevant early childhood education practices could be established in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.