Teaching children well at home during their early years helps build future leaders.

Ecole Centreville Kindergarten teacher Ingrid Theovra made this statement during the recent National Kindy Day celebration in Port Vila, held under the theme: “Quality learning at home and in the classroom gives children a great future.”

Mrs. Theovra said a child’s first learning takes place at home—even before attending kindergarten.

She said the next step is kindergarten, where children begin learning letters, numbers, colours, shapes, and other basic concepts. But before this stage, the home plays a key role in laying the foundation for a child’s development.

“At this early age, children learn by observing and often copy what their parents do—whether it is right or wrong,” she said. She encouraged all parents to be mindful of their words and actions around children, noting that positive behaviour at home can influence how they behave and learn at school.

Mrs. Theovra encouraged parents to continue setting good examples to help shape a better future for Vanuatu.

A mother of a kindergarten student, who preferred to remain anonymous, thanked the Port Vila Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Association for organising the Kindy Day celebration.

She agreed with this year’s theme and said she always ensures her home remains a positive environment, free from influences that could negatively affect her daughter. She urged parents to pay attention to the company their children keep, warning that peer influence could lead them astray if they spend time with others from less disciplined homes.

The mother also raised concerns about mobile phone use among young children. She said she does not allow her children to use mobile phones and believes online content—especially on social media—can be harmful. She called on the government to consider introducing stricter regulations to prevent excessive phone use among children, saying that devices can gradually replace parental guidance if left unchecked.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST