EC’s informal ECD centres pin hopes on Godongwana’s mini-budget

Informal Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres in the Eastern Cape have pinned their hopes on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to prioritise their needs when he delivers the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement.

These Centres operate under conditions which need serious attention.

They lack the necessary resources to make the facilities conducive to teaching and learning.

Likhona iThemba Day care centre in Mdantsane operates in a shack, under difficult conditions.

Despite operating under these conditions, educational activities continue here on a daily basis.

They rely on donations, which are few and far between.

ECD centre practitioner, Nokuzola Nyathela, says they lack financial support as most parents can not afford tuition fees.

“We are struggling; now education was here assessing us; they talked about the ceiling we must fill in here and the other class.

It’s three rooms; where have we got that kind of money? We don’t have money, and we are not funded yet as this school.” For many communities, these centres provide relief to parents who cannot afford transport to take their children to established schools.

ECD practitioner, Phumla Soha, says proper learning structures would provide a safer and more comfortable environment for both learners and parents.

“As ECD centres, we wish to have proper structures so that we can teach learners in proper centres.

The reason we want this is that the parents who teach in these centres don’t have much.

They survive on government grants, which is the same money they use to provide the needs of a household.

Eastern Cape Education Department spokesperson, Malibongwe Mtima, says ECD centres must be registered to qualify for the necessary government support.