Early Childhood Education Early childhood education is of
critical importance, since a lifetime of successful learning
begins at birth. From the day they are born, children are alert,
clever and curious about the world they live in. Each child,
moreover, has his or her own method of learning. If they are to
learn well, children must therefore have access in their
earliest years to a range of quality educational opportunities,
regardless of social background. Ultimately, early childhood
education and care can only succeed if all actors work together
and proactively engage with parents. Germany has 16 different
educational systems, one for each state. Equal educational
opportunities - available from birth and independent of social
background - do not exist. Often, the quality of a child’s early
educational opportunities is determined simply by where he or
she is born. If the current educational systems are to be
reformed to offer greater quality, transparency is needed about
existing differences. Policymakers n