Bula and Welcome to the Early Childhood Education & Care programme

The Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education & Care) is an undergraduate programme taught in the English language and consists of 180 credit points. Advanced standing of 90 credit points is granted to students who have an accredited Diploma in Early Childhood Education & Care plus two years of experience as an EC teacher in an education setting.  This Bachelor of Education (ECEC) normally takes three years full-time study or part-time equivalent. The course is only offered off campus and in Distance Education mode, and is fully online. Delivery on flexi schools (summer and winter) are normally on face to face mode.

This in-service degree has been meeting the specific needs of our Early Childhood Education and Care student population in the USP region (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Is, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Is, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu).  The student population are typically women aged mid-20 to mid-40 years, who are already working in Early Childhood and already have several years of experience. These students are usually working full time and have young families and therefore appreciate a course they can do part time and by distance education mode. We believe in building pathways to the profession by building on an equivalent Diploma, workplace experience and through the flexibility of ‘stepping off and stepping on again’ (through approved leaves of absence/intermissions) in the B.Ed (ECEC). Students can exit the program at the end of the third year with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education and Care).

Teaching Staffs

Dr. Lavinia Tiko (Senior Lecturer & Coordinator)

  • PhD (Child Development) University of New England, Australia
  • Master of Arts (Early Years), London Uni’s IOE, UK
  • Graduate Diploma in Education Leadership, Waikato University, New Zealand
  • BED (ECE), Waikato University, New Zealand
  • Primary Teachers Certificate, Early Childhood & Special Education Certificate, Fiji.
  • Email: tiko_l@usp.ac.fj
  • Tel: 32 32350
  • Office: Building 019, 3rd Floor, Room: H412

Dr. Kelesi Whippy (Assistant Lecturer & Co-Coordinator)
  • PhD (Vakatatalo/Play), University of the South Pacific (USP);Fiji
  • Master of Arts (Primary Science), USP, Fiji
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Education, USP, Fiji.
  • Bachelor of Education (Primary), USP, Fiji
  • Primary Teachers Certificate, Fiji

Programme

There are two programme of study in early childhood education and care:

  1. Diploma in ECEC, consists of the following 12 courses:UU100, UU114, ED152, ED153, ED103, ED204, ED205, ED206, ED250, ED252, ED262 and ED302
  2. BEDECEC has the following 24 courses:
100 Level 200 Level 300 Level
UU100, UU114, , ED152, ED153, ED103, ED170, ED183/184/191, LL108 UU200, UU204,ED250, ED252, ED204, ED205, ED206, ED262 ED300, ED302, ED304, ED354, ED362, ED363, ED359, TE313

Conference/Workshop

The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Conference was held in Denarau, Nadi from September 19-21, 2017

And prior to that, UNESCO together with the USP also convened a Teacher Competency Workshop in Novotel, Nadi. This can be viewed on the Unesco Bangkok ECCE Asia and Pacific Reional Bureau of Education

Curriculum Alignment

The ECEC programme is currently undergoing curriculum alignment. More than 80% of the work has been completed. Many thanks to the consultant, Ms Dorothy Spiller and secretary, Ms Sujlesh Chand for the great assistance in this alignment process.

Accreditation – Australian Children Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

The Bachelor of Education (ECEC) is accredited to the Australian Children Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). This will allow graduates to teach in Australia. Graduates must be seen as competent in their pedagogical content knowledge, evident in their planning and in learning and teaching delivery to all young children under their care.

 

 

 

Fiji Higher Education Commission

The programme is accredited to the Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC)

 

 

 

EQAP

The programme is also documented with Education Quality and Assessment Programme, a regional organization under South Pacific Commission that looks after educational assessment in the Pacific region.

 

 

Child Protection Policy

The School of Education has been assigned to work on the Child Protection Policy for the University. The work is in progress and will go through the University processes before it is formalised. The CPP team included:

  • Ms Sainimili Nabou – Consultant
  • Mr Laisiasa Merumeru – Assistant Lecturer, Special and Inclusive Education
  • Dr Kelesi Whippy – Assistant Lecturer ECEC
  • Dr Lavinia Tiko – Senior Lecturer and USP focal point

Monash University – Staff Tour

The educational trip was exciting and there were lots to learn in terms of academia. Thanks to DFAT for the partnership and to the Head of School for the foresight. Key support areas for ECEC and Early Years Primary include:research collaboration; staff shadowing/in ECEC learning & teaching especially in literacy & numeracy; professional development; development of post graduate courses; school as mentoring buddy; visiting scholar and education tour.

https://www.monash.edu/education/news/new-partnership-set-to-strengthen-education-in-the-pacific

Activity Photos

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