FROM wars and record heatwaves to viral footage of road rage and supermarket brawls, today’s headlines reflect a world struggling with trust, civility and basic decency.
Alongside this is a surge in anxiety, depression and self-harm. One truth emerges: sustainability is no longer about recycling bins or paying extra for plastic bags. A society unable to regulate its darker impulses will never achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) designed to end poverty, protect the planet and reduce inequality.
So, when the world feels like it’s on fire, does early childhood education (ECE) still matter?
Absolutely. Regulation of impulses begins earliest in life. Quality ECE directly bridges at least four SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). No amount of green technology can rescue a planet governed by citizens who are quick to anger, blind to others’ suffering, and unable to control destructive urges.
Building the Foundation of Quality Education (SDG 4)
Investing in early years is not just a moral choice; it is firmly grounded in science. Harvard University’s Centre on the Developing Child reports that a child’s brain can form up to a million new neural connections every second in the first five years, profoundly shaped by early experiences.
Positive interactions lay the foundation for learning, behaviour and health. In contrast, children exposed to neglect, chronic stress or excessive screen time often develop poor frustration tolerance and heightened reactivity.
The social media meltdowns and public outbursts we see today are not random. They are the adult consequences of missing crucial opportunities to wire the brain for self-regulation in early childhood.
High-quality ECE settings make the difference. Warm, responsive environments help children build emotional literacy, curiosity and self-control. They enter school ready to learn, concentrate and cooperate. Society, in turn, gains a buffer against the aggression and apathy now threatening the sustainability agenda.
Ensuring every child has access to nurturing educational spaces directly advances SDG 4, especially Target 4.2, which calls for universal access to quality early childhood care and education.
Promoting Well-being and Emotional Health (SDG 3)
ECE is also a powerful driver of health and well-being. Composting leftovers or recycling newspapers in preschool instils eco-friendly habits long before consumer culture shapes throw-away reflexes.
Outdoor play, like children working together after heavy rain to return stranded earthworms to garden beds, teaches resilience, cooperation and empathy. Such activities reduce stress, promote physical movement, refine sensory regulation and strengthen immunity.
By embedding resilience, cooperation and problem-solving into daily routines, quality ECE contributes directly to SDG 3, Target 3.4, which seeks to reduce premature deaths linked to mental health conditions.
Narrowing Inequality from the Start (SDG 10)
Inequality begins early but so can equity. OECD studies show that quality ECE significantly narrows disparities by providing equal developmental opportunities.
Inclusive classrooms that celebrate diversity through multilingual storytelling, culturally rich resources and adaptive learning tools ensure children’s strengths are nurtured rather than constrained. These environments promote fairness and belonging, directly advancing SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.
Planting the Seeds of Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)
SDG 16 may seem distant from preschool classrooms, but its seeds are planted there. When children learn to take turns, resolve conflicts and listen actively, they are practising the behaviours that non-violent, cohesive societies depend on.
These small daily interactions foster empathy, perspective-taking and responsibility. Justice and social cohesion begin with conversations at a classroom mat, not just in parliament halls.
Why Businesses Should Care
On the surface, ECE looks like a “social good” with no direct ROI for companies. After all, preschoolers today won’t enter the workforce for another 15-20 years. Here’s why. Those preschoolers are your workforce and consumers of tomorrow.
Ignore their first 5-6 years, and you inherit employees who cost more to train, struggle with self-regulation, burn out faster and cannot sustain attention beyond a 15-second reel.
The payoffs may not be immediate, but they build the foundations of a smarter workforce, stronger economy, and more resilient society.
What Can Businesses Do?
Invest in quality ECE through workplace childcare, CSR partnerships and create conditions and incentives that make fair pay and professional recognition for educators possible.
Undervaluing educators drives turnover, lowers quality and harms workforce productivity; therefore, supporting ECE isn’t charity; it’s a strategy. One that secures stable employees today and a smarter, more resilient talent pipeline tomorrow.
Treating ECE as Critical Infrastructure
If we are serious about the SDGs, ECE must not remain an afterthought. It should be treated as critical infrastructure on par with healthcare, transport and clean energy. That responsibility lies with all of us: policymakers, educators, parents, employers and community members.
For the government, this means universal access and fair pay for educators. For business, it means recognising ECE as workforce development in its earliest form, supporting childcare access, and partnering with ECE communities as part of long-term investment.
For families and communities, it means valuing early learning as the foundation of future wellbeing and honouring the subtle, everyday moments of growth rather than chasing immediate results.
The payoff is generational: adults who can manage their emotions, choose cooperation over aggression and weigh long-term wellbeing against short-term gratification.
The road to a liveable future begins not in boardrooms or parliament halls but on a classroom mat, where children learn to balance towers, feelings and, ultimately, the fate of our shared earth.
Ms Ting Mee Ling
School of Design and Arts
Faculty of Business, Design and Arts
Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at mvoon@swinburne.edu.my.
