Peru: Child Care from a Global Perspective

Overview of Peru

Geography

Area: 1.28 million sq. km. (496,225 sq. mi.). Peru is the third-largest country in South America and is approximately three times the size of California.Major cities: Lima (capital), Arequipa, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Huancayo, Ica, Trujillo, Ayacucho, Piura, Iquitos, and Chimbote.Terrain: Western arid coastal plains, central rugged Andean mountains, and eastern lowlands with tropical forests that are part of the Amazon basin.Climate: Arid and mild in coastal area, temperate to frigid in the Andes, and warm and humid in the jungle lowlands.

PeopleNationality: Peruvian.Ethnic groups: Indigenous (45%); mixed background ("mestizo") (37%); European (15%); African, Japanese, Chinese, and other (3%).Population (2009): 29.11 million. Approximately 30% of the population lives in the Lima/Callao metropolitan area.Annual population growth rate (2009): 1.11%.Religions: Roman Catholic (81%), other (10%).Languages: Spanish is the principal language. Quechua, Aymara and other indigenous languages also have official status.Education: Years compulsory--11. Attendance--ages 6-11, 92%; ages 12-16, 66%. Literacy--96% in urban areas, 80% in rural areas.Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--29.96 per 1,000. Life expectancy (2007)--68.33 years male; 72.04 years female.Unemployment in Lima (2009): 8.4%; underemployment (2009): 44.66%

Languages

Spanish

Quechua &

Are Peru’s official languages

There are only eight known people left on the earth that speak the language of Chamicuro. And they all live near the Andes of Peru.

Here are some ways to say animal names in Chamicuro:

Did You Know?

Horse = Kawali Chicken = Polyo

Duck = Pato

Monkey = Katuikana

Dog =Ma’nali

Cat = Mishi Cow = Waka

History of the Day CareIn Peru “Day Care/Pre School, Toddlers, and Nursery Schools as

well as Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten” starts and begins in

Elementary school

There are schools that offer bilingual education in English and

Spanish

Nursery schools begin at the age of (3 years old)

In Peru, the school year is from March-December and summer

holiday is January to the middle of March. Students also get 2

weeks of vacation in August

Preschool/Daycare is Peru began in 1975 but before that it was

not recognized

Reggio Emila Pre-schools/Daycare came to Peru in 1999

After 1975 other preschools around Peru were opening up and

preschool/daycare was being recognized and placed into schools

Child would actually start elementary school at 3 years of age

and continue right up until grade 11.

Types of Daycare

Childcare programs are the neediest projects in Peru

The government started to invest in early education and

childcare in 2001

The program was called The Project for Integrated Services to

Children Less than Six Years in the Rural Mountainous Region

However, the program lost its funding and was shut down in

2004

Most childcare centres are very informal places that depend on

many volunteers from around the world

The children in these places require a lot of care, attention and

companionship

These volunteers assist with organizing activities for the children

as well as helping them with their school work

Many of these childcare projects are disorganized, understaffed

and underfunded

In comparing formal and informal preschool programs, there

were reported differences in the language and mathematics

outcomes of the two groups of children

The children who attended the formal preschools did better

http://www.kayavolunteer.com/images/projects/fullsize12_11234778562.jpg

Most recently, Peru has recently adopted a policy for the development

of early childcare programs which supports the work of the country’s

Non- Formal Program for Initial Education This policy makes it

compulsory for children’s education to begin at the age of three

Peru’s Laws of Childhood ensures that the State’s responsibility for

children with disability include education

Even though programs have positive evaluations, they struggle to

survive because of lack of funding

Bibliography

• Images• http://www.flagpictures.tk/wp-content/uploads/pictures/pictures-of-peru-flag-438.jpg• http://www.ayllusuyu.com/gallery/children/peru_child4.jpg• http://definitelyfilipino.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/talking-cartoon.gif• http://www.inspirationalspaces.com.au/attachments/Image/web_Ann_with_Peru_child.jpg• http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35762.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T01sRejSj58&feature=related

The Danger of Poor Day Care Centres

This video shows the consequence of having little money for daycare centres in poor regions.