Patrick Makokoro Ph.D

Picture a typical family engagement event at an early childhood center: parents arrive after work, listen to a presentation about child development, ask a few questions, and head home. The teacher feels good about “involving” families. The parents appreciate the information. Everyone leaves satisfied. But something fundamental is missing. What if we’ve been thinking about family engagement all wrong? What if families aren’t meant to be “involved” in education as outside part

In many Euro-Western educational models, the focus is often on individual children’s development, their milestones, their achievements, their progress. Success is measured in terms of what each child can do independently. But through the HuUbuntu: I Am Because We Are philosophy, we are asking us to shift our perspective: What if a child’s development is fundamentally relational? What if children don’t just grow up, but grow into themselves through connections with family,comm

This Black History Month I have been honored to celebrate Black authors of children’s literature because they play a critical role in sharing various cultural perspectives. The minds of young children are able to get windows into diverse experiences that may mirror their own identities. There is a fair understanding and perhaps agreement on the fact that the early years of child development represent animportant opportunity to develop social awareness and cultural appreciatio

In thinking about the title of this article, I dug into the deeper recesses of my cultural upbringing and the lessons I had learned from Elders when I was growing up in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa. Our small house in the capital city was often teeming with relatives who would come from the rural village looking for work and opportunities. Even as I recount in my memoir, Nhaka Yenyu: Your Inheritance, our own life in the city was devoid of luxury; we would survive on a single me

Community, context, and culture are vital aspects of early childhood education. By embracing and valuing diversity, involving families and the community, and incorporating cultural perspectives, educators can create inclusive, empowering, and enriching learning environments for children. In this article I will discuss the role of community, context and culture when creating early childhood education programs. To help me discuss these three aspects I am inspired by the work of

The Nhaka Foundation, a Zimbabwean non-profit organization, was established in 2007 to provide access to education and health care for vulnerable and orphaned children in Zimbabwe. It supports programs that are locally sustainable, environmentally sound, and respectful of the cultural values of the communities in which it works. Nhaka Foundation works with the community and in partnership to restore the traditional safety nets that have been eroded through the social and econ

In September 2018, I boarded the plane to leave my home and country Zimbabwe. My destination was the University of Victoria to study, begin my research, and write my doctoral dissertation. Following the requisite coursework, I began to think about the early childhood research interests that I could pursue. As I carried out my literature review, I became more drawn to history. I was interested in documenting the history of early childhood development in Africa. Specifically, m

Africa’s young, emerging leadership is made up of people who have a passion and vision for the continent. Harnessed well, they will ensure each African country benefits from an array of human capital that can take the continent forward. But many challenges stand in their way – and it’s essential that we give our children and youth the tools to overcome them. Early investments in young children are proven to be cost-effective and have a higher rate of return than later remed

The impact of COVID-19 in Africa has been devastating and the real costs are still to be fully quantified. The pandemic revealed inadequacies and inequalities in social and economic institutions, including access to education. What we have learned has brought into clear focus the need for evaluation and transformation. At a macro-level, a number of factors have determined how governments address the educational needs of children and their families during this crisis. Countrie