Govt to scale up ECDs

Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati says government has embarked on a project to have community-based childcare centres (CBCCs) in all trading centres nationwide to promote early childhood development (ECD).

She said this in Parliament on Thursday, adding her ministry has partnered various stakeholders in the project.

Said Kaliati: “Government is committed to promoting early childhood development because it is crucial to the future of children. The CBCCs will also work to the advantage of mothers who are doing businesses as they will have time to concentrate on other activities while their children are learning in the CBCCs.”

The minister said the CBCCs will be of high standard and that old CBCCs will be upgraded to enable children get good quality ECD lessons.

In his remarks, Democratic Progressive Party chief whip Simon Vuwa Kaunda commended government for the plan, saying children fail to access such schools particularly in rural areas.

He said his constituency is one such area where CBCCs are lacking, and urged the ministry for consideration.

“We need these CBCCs and they should be at a central point where children from various areas can easily access them,” said Vuwa Kaunda.

On his part, Rumphi West independent legislator Yona Mkandawire also asked government to consider his constituency with ECD services.

Research has shown that children that go through the ECD programmes are brighter than those that go straight to primary school.