Investments for future: Early childhood development and education

Abstract

Investments relevant to the first years of life are directly connected to the future of societies. It can be argued that investments for early childhood development and education are one of the best ways of decreasing social inequality caused by adverse environments which hinder development in early ages and tackling poverty by reducing the rare of infant and child deaths, increasing the attendance rate to school, decreasing the rate of failure and drop-out rates in schools and the percentage of crime rates. In this article, the effects of alternative early childhood education programs on children and their parents were investigated. These programs were developed as an alternative to institutional programs, had lesser costs, intended to support children who carried developmental risks by providing them with education, health, and nutrition/nourishment. These programs were supported by the World Bank in developing countries.