On April 30, 2025, the Global Network Seminar was held, and the seminar welcomed Ms. Yuri Belfali Ohara, Head of the Early Childhood and Schools Division in the Directorate for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Under the theme “Reducing Inequalities by Investing in Early Childhood Education and Care: The Global Perspective from the OECD’s Comparative Analysis,” Ms. Belfali Ohara discussed the role of investment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in reducing educational and social inequalities from the perspective of the OECD’s comparative analysis.

In her lecture, Ms. Belfali Ohara explained that early childhood is a critical period for children’s subsequent learning and development and that ensuring access to high-quality ECEC is essential not only for supporting children’s learning and well-being but also for reducing inequalities associated with socioeconomic backgrounds from an early stage. Through comparisons among OECD member countries and other countries, she also highlighted differences across countries in participation in ECEC, institutional arrangements, and the quality of education and care.

Ms. Belfali Ohara further emphasized the importance of ensuring the quality of ECEC in addition to expanding access. She introduced various factors that contribute to high-quality ECEC, including the professional expertise and working conditions of teachers and ECEC staff, interactions between children and educators, curricula, and learning environments. She also stressed the importance of placing equity at the center of policy to ensure that all children, including those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to high-quality ECEC.

Drawing on the OECD’s international comparative analysis, the lecture also addressed both common challenges faced by countries and policy issues that vary according to their institutional and social contexts. Ms. Belfali Ohara explained the importance of using insights from international comparisons to improve ECEC policies while taking into account each country’s education system and social context, rather than simply applying policies or practices from one country to another.

Following the lecture, a Q&A session was held with participating students, featuring an exchange of views on investment in ECEC, the reduction of educational inequalities, ensuring the quality of education and care, and the relationship between OECD comparative analysis and policymaking. The seminar provided a valuable opportunity for participants to view ECEC as a foundation for future learning and human capital development and to deepen their understanding, from an international comparative perspective, of the importance of reducing social and educational inequalities through equitable access to high-quality ECEC.