Onalenna Modikwa
26 June 2009
Selebi-Phikwe — The town council here is in the process of privatising three of its day care centres remaining with only one, Mayor Amogelng Mojuta, says.
Speaking at a workshop for early childhood centre managers recently, Mojuta said this is necessary because "it has come to our attention that running four centres is very expensive and provision cannot be made to cater for all requirements of a good quality programme and that privatising will empower locals who would like to run them".
The council has 18 registered early childhood centres, one run by the council, two by churches, 15 by private owners and one by non-governmental organisations. One centre is in the process of registration, while the other was closed down last term. Six of the 18 centres are operating on two months conditional licenses while 12 are fully licensed.
Mojuta reminded early childhood centre managers that the services that they provide are of utmost importance since they focus on nourishing, nurturing and educating children at young ages.
He said gone are the days when families used to look after children from extended family members. He added that playing with objects found in the surroundings has changed in recent times with buying toys a necessity and developing children from a young age a must.
He added that as the early childhood programme developed through the years, government found it fit to have a policy to guide it hence the 'National Day Care Centre Policy of 1980' was formulated.
This policy did not cater for most aspects of the early childhood development programme and its guidance was very limited in scope.
The mayor said among other things, it did not provide for children under the age of two and a half years since it looked only at those from that age to six years.
He noted that with the review of the 'National Policy on Education' in 1994, many recommendations were made concerning the early childhood development programme. It was recognised to be a very huge and important programme as it aims at caring and educating Botswana's very valuable members of the society who are the future leaders.
"Upon gaining this recognition, the instrument guiding the early childhood programme at the time, which was the National Day Care Centre Policy was reviewed together with other related documents," added Mojuta.
He also observed that the review of this policy in 1999 identified many gaps that needed to be closed, hence the early childhood care and education policy of 2001 was effected.
Since the policy came into being while there were already established early childhood centres operating, they were given three years grace period within which to meet the minimum standard requirements of the new policy.
Those who opened centres after the launch of this policy were expected to operate in line with the set requirements. "These three years grace period ended in 2004 therefore all service providers are expected to be compliant with the new policy," stressed Mojuta.
He indicated that the council is mandated to regulate, supervise and provide guidance support as needed to ensure compliance and smooth running of centres according to the policy.
"If you resist the guidance of officers then you are resisting what is directed by government and therefore you are liable to be taken to task accordingly," says Mojuta.
Participants of the workshop shared information on the background and overview of early childhood care and education policy guiding early childhood programme.
They were also taken through the by-law that regulates early childhood centres.
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