AECD calls for mainstreaming of project
The Association of Early Childhood Development (AECD) in Malawi has called on government and the private sector to mainstream the project if the country is to achieve tangible results.
AECD project officer Ruth Makwakwa said this last Friday when the association went to Chikwina in Nkhata Bay where it launched its operations and collected information regarding ECD to be presented to members of Parliament on May 21 2013 for consideration.
She said the association has since called on government to consider having five percent of districts annual budget allocated towards ECD.
“We earlier met the MPs to discuss the need to promote early childhood development, but we were told that people in constituencies have never raised issues to do with ECD. Some of the problems people raise are to do with roads, bridges, secondary schools, hospitals, primary schools and others.
“To ensure that people appreciate the importance of ECD, we are embarking on a two-year project called Rights from the Start Early Childhood Care and Education, which is funded by Tilitonse Fund. We have identified six districts in which we will be sensitising people to the need for ECD,” she said.
Eddie Chilawa, chairperson for Karonga Village Development Committee (KVDC) at Chikwina, said the idea of enhancing ECD was vital as it will promote education.
“We have noticed that children, who are in nursery schools speak better English than those in primary schools and when such kids go to primary schools, they do better in class,” said Chilawa.
