Spend more time with your children. This was the message from Adi Davila Toganivalu, 80, Fiji’s first kindergarten graduate teacher.
She was the chief guest at the opening of the Early Childhood Education week celebrations at the Young Women’s Christian Association Kindergarten in Suva.
Adi Davila urged parents to nurture their children well while they are young.
“Spend as much time as you can with your children,” she said.
“Your children look at you as their role model well before they even come to kindergarten. They pick up all their habits from you.
“They watch the way you speak and behave. If you speak bad language, children pick it up because they copy you. They pick up all good behaviours in the first eight years, so be careful of what kind of words you utter and language you use in front of your children.”
She said kindergarten teachers also played a very important role in moulding children.
“Everything they are taught in kindergarten are carried when they go to primary school. So here in kindergarten, teachers prepare them for primary school.
“That’s why pre-school education is very important. It creates their interest into education. Their language development is very important, and it all starts from the pre-school or kindergarten.”
After completing her high school at Adi Cakobau School in 1962, Ms Toganivalu was the first Fijian awarded a scholarship to pursue a Diploma in Kindergarten Teaching.
“When I was 19, after completing my studies at Adi Cakobau School, I got a scholarship from the Methodist Church in Sydney, Australia and YWCA. They provided a three-year funding for me to be go to Melbourne Kindergarten Teachers College.
“I completed the training and I came back with a Diploma in Kindergarten Teaching.
“I was the first local (Fijian) to be qualified. Before that people were operating kindergartens at some primary schools but they had learnt the skills on the job. They did not have a proper qualification. So, I was the first qualified kindergarten teacher.
“When I came back I taught at YWCA Kindergarten for three years.
“My kindergarten was down there at Fiji Arts Club during that time. All the staff including myself were qualified in this school.”
She said a lot had changed since then.
“I am happy that they have BEd programs for kindergarten teachers at USP and other universities. Before, we were the first trainers.
“Looking at children’s physical and spiritual development is important. We looked at their social and emotional side as well and taught them how to get on with other kids. Because, if you don’t understand your children, how can you teach them.”
The nationwide week-long Early Childhood Education week celebration began yesterday.
