ECD getway to a better future
Government has described Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme as a long term solution towards ending various challenges the country is facing as it warrants study foundation for the new generation.
Speaking on Saturday in the area of Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga where she officially launched this year’s ECD week, Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social welfare Patricia Kaliati said ECD programmes provide children with early education and foundational life skills that will enable them become reliable citizens in future.
Said Kaliati, “ECD prepares children socially, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and morally which are the fundamental principles for personal well being,”
“Issues of child abuse, human rights, hunger and malnutrition, poverty, sickness and disease which we are struggling with today can be made history if we lay a proper foundation for our children.”
Kaliati added that the program also encourages community participation in child caring thereby ensuring child safety and protection.
She commended World Vision International for constructing a K16 million ($26 756) modern Community Based Childcare Centre in the area and encouraged chiefs and parents to work together in ensuring that children utilize services at the centre.
World Vision Deputy Country Director, Fordson Kanfweku said there was growing evidence that children who have a poor academic background could not compete with those who have an access to ECD programmes.
“Early childhood education fosters cognitive skills along with attentiveness, motivation, self-control and sociability- the character skills that turn knowledge into know how and people into productive citizens.
“It is against this background that we want all under-five children across the country to access ECD programmes,” said Kanfweku.
World Vision International supports the education of over 3.7 million children across the country through the provision of learning materials, construction of school blocks, capacity building for teachers and communities, playground equipment and porridge flour but according to Kanfweku only 1.4 million have access to ECD programs representing 40 percent.
Chairperson for Machinga Council Tailosi Bakili called on government to quicken the process of providing incentives to care givers to motivate them.
