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LOCKDOWN: ‘NO LOGICAL REASON’
Outcry to open all ECDs CARINA ROUX
E
arly childhood development (ECD) centers linked to schools will be able to open from 6 July as per the direction from the minister of basic education, Angie Motshekga. However, their private counterparts, which falls under the department of social development, must remain closed. This has led to an outcry across the ECD sector who closed their doors nationwide along with the schools on 17 March. Locally De Kuilen Pre-primary will welcome the first group of grade Rs on 29 June, says head Dilmarie Boonzaaier, as the school were granted permission by the provincial education department to deviate from the gazetted regulations. Lizette Alexander from Vrolike Vinkies Educare in Sarepta - a centre registered with the education department - says they will open on 7 July for grade Rs only, Both Boonzaaier and Alexander expressed sympathy for their private counterparts. Alexander who is also in charge of the ECD forum in Sarepta says she endlessly has to try and explain the situation to private ECD owners. Professor Eric Atmore from the department of education policy studies at the University of Stellenbosch and director of the Centre for Early Childhood Development, a non-profit organisation, says both
government departments of social development and basic education have failed children and parents across the country by “going missing” during the Covid-19-lockdown. He says there’s been no guidance or support in setting out the way forward. “Nothing has been forthcoming except a harsh instruction not to open under any circumstances. The Department of Social Development has set up ‘workstreams’, but this is clearly a tactic to delay decisions.’’ Minister Lindiwe Zulu announced eight workstreams that ‘‘will amongst others, conduct sector-wide risk assessment, state of readiness and make recommendations on health and hygiene measures and protocols to contain the Covid-19-outbreak”. Zulu said ‘there are currently 14 205 registered partial care facilities that operate as ECDs, but many remain unregistered as they do not meet the minimum norms and standards set out in the Children’s Act. To adress this she recently announced the ‘‘Vangasali-Every child counts” campaign to find and assist unregistered ECD centres. Atmore says there is no logical reason why ECD centres linked to the basic education department can open from 6 July, but community-based ones linked to social development cannot. V To page 8.
Arms vol appels!
Die gemaskerde Emile Malan (12) van Welgedacht en Stefan Steenkamp (12) van De Bron het verlede Woensdag in bittere koue gehelp om appels in ’n projek van Mercy Meals in die saal van die NG kerk Kenridge in sakkies te verpak. Agter is Ansonette van der Merwe van Brackenfell, wat aan die stuur staan van korporatiewe maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid by Capespan., wat die appels geskenk het. Lees berig op bladsy 5. FOTO: ESMÉ ERASMUS