"Unfortunately, too many people still view ECD as little more than a babysitting service. They simply do not understand the importance of constructive learning and personal development required by young children. There is a massive scrum to get children into good primary and high schools, but cognitive development starts long before Grade 1. So why are we not putting the same effort into a good pre-school education?" asks City's Mayoral committee member for Social Development and Early Childhood Development, Councillor Suzette Little.
The Directorate urges parents and caregivers to check that their choice of the ECD centre meets the necessary requirements. They should have:
"I understand that many ECDs face obstacles in their quest to become registered facilities. We work closely with the Western Cape Government, which is responsible for registering facilities. The City's role is to help address the health, fire and planning requirements for ECDs. We also provide training to ECD staff and operators on a number of aspects and we provide safety equipment and learning materials. We host regular registration drives in partnership with the Western Cape Government, but I want to challenge ECD operators to help create enabling environments for the children in their care. Ultimately, that is what matters but it requires everyone to do their part,' concludes Little.
