Drb Grant

Dudley Ransford Brandyce Grant was an educationalist who specialized in the theory of early childhood school development in Jamaica. He is regarded by many as the 'Father of Early Childhood Education in Jamaica'.

Born in Santa Marta, Colombia on September 15, 1915 he immigrated to Jamaica with his parents, James and Annie, at an early age. He attended Maldon Primary School, St. James in his youth before continuing his education at Mico Teachers' College in St. Andrew. Mr. Grant also went on to complete a Master's of Science at Cornell University, USA before furthering his learning at great institutions including Oxford University's School of Education in England and the Universities of New York and Columbia in the United States.

Career

D.R.B Grant was a highly respected and accomplished tutor and theorist whose career was filled with an extensive list of achievements and positions of authority at all academic levels. He began his educational profession as a Primary school teacher, later moving up to school Principal, before continuing his progression through the teaching ranks as Senior lecturer, University of the West Indies and Visiting Lecturer at University of Maryland in the USA.

Early Childhood Education

After this, Mr. Grant began to concentrate on his Early Education work. Below are the positions and roles that D.R.B undertook:

• Director for the Project for Early Childhood Education (PECE)
• Consultant to the Jamaican Ministry of Education's Early Childhood Education Program
• Director of University of West Indies/Bernard van Leer Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Education
• Consultant/Advisor on Early Childhood Education in developing countries
• Vice Chairman of Jamaican Government’s Programme for the Advancement of Childhood Education (PACE).

During the period 1967-1968, while on secondment to the Ministry of Education Jamaica, he started the first teaching internship programme which has become a major component of the teacher education programme in Jamaica.D.R.B. Grant also conceived and implemented the Project for Early Childhood Education (P.E.C.E.) which was funded by the van Leer Foundation of Holland. He directed this project from 1966-1987. He became a highly respected international authority in the field of early childhood education and occupied various consulting and advisory roles. In 1972, D.R.B. Grant was appointed by the Ministry to Education, Jamaica as a member of the Committee for an In-depth Study for Primary Education. He also played a pivotal role in the design and organization of the Hope Valley Experimental School.
In recognition of D.R.B. Grant’s contribution to early childhood education, the University of the West Indies, Mona has named the Early Childhood Resource Centre in his honor. In addition, the Dudley Grant Memorial Trust (DGMT) was established through the Bernard van Leer Foundation in 1989 to commemorate his life and work.

D.R.B Grant officially retired in 1978 but continued his work until his death on August 25, 1988. He was 73 years old.

Dudley Ransford Brandyce Grant

Name: Sherene Badjnaut
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