The Importance of Early Childhood Education

By definition, early childhood education is the level of education before basic education is a development effort aimed at children from birth until the age of six years that go through provision of educational stimulation to assist the growth and physical and spiritual development so that children have the readiness to enter further education, which was held in formal, nonformal, and informal.

Why early childhood education is important? Yes, because during early childhood is the golden period (golden age) for the development of the child to acquire the education process.

Based on our research, approximately 50% of adult intelligence capabilities have occurred when 4-year-old children, 80% had occurred when I was 8 years old, and reaches culmination when the child was about 18 years.

This means that developments occur within the first 4 years, as much with developments at the time of the next 14 years.

This golden period is the critical period for children, where the growth obtained in this period is very influential on the development of the next period, until adulthood. Understand, this golden period comes only once! If missing, it means that your chance had gone.

Therefore, early childhood education through the provision of stimuli (stimulation) from the nearest environment is necessary to optimize the ability of the child.

In short, early childhood education is one form of education that focuses on the founding and growth towards the physical development (fine motor coordination and gross), intellect (the intellect, creativity, emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence), socio emotional (attitude and behavior and religion) language and communication, in accordance with the uniqueness and developmental stages through which early childhood.

There are two purposes why should be held early childhood education, namely:

* The main objective: to establish the quality of Indonesian children, the children grow and develop in accordance with their level of development that have optimal readiness in entering primary education and through life in adulthood.
* Destination broadcaster: to help prepare children to reach the readiness to learn (academic) at the school.

The range of early childhood, according to Article 28 of Law No.20/2003 on National Education System paragraph 1 is 0-6 years. Meanwhile, according to scientific studies early childhood and family operate in some countries, early childhood implemented since the age of 0-8 years.

Here are some of the scope of Early Childhood Education:

* Infant (0-1 years)
* Toddler (2-3 years)
* Preschool / Kindergarten children (3-6 years)
* Early Primary School (Elementary Class Start) (6-8 years)

Currently, there are several providers of education units Early Childhood Education, including:

* Kindergarten (TK)
* Raudatul RA (RA)
* Bustanul RA (BA)
* Play Group (KB)
* Park Childcare (TPA)
* A type of early childhood unit (SPS)
* First Class Elementary School (class 1,2,3)
* BKB
* Integrated Service Post (Posyandu)
* Family
* Environment

Inevitably, early childhood education is a very basic education and strategic human resource development. No wonder that many countries pay great attention to this education.