22 Aug 2018

Tutume Sub-district Council has decided to close all day care centres that do not comply with the Early Childhood Education Policy and council bye laws.

This was revealed by the sub-council’s principal education secretary, Ms Seetsele Sikwidi during a District Development Committee briefing in Tutume on August 20. 

Ms Sikwidi said the sub-district had 23 day care centres, 15 of which were privately owned, one run by a non-governmental organisation, three by faith based organisations and the other four were community owned.

 She said during their regular inspection, they realised that some of the centres did not adhere to the early childhood education and council bye laws, despite having been issued with and sensitised about them. 

This, she said had prompted them to take drastic measures against those who would be found still not compliant.

Ms Sikwidi said during a recent inspection operation that  one centre was found operating without a valid licence, revealing that although they had not yet closed it, they had issued it with a strong warning to comply or face the music.  

She further noted that all the day care centres were advised to renew their licences on time for proper inspection steps to be taken before renewal, adding that they had also realised that the centres had challenges of acquiring qualified early childhood teachers.

Ms Sikwidi said the council had since granted the centres authority to employ qualified teachers from outside the sub-district. 

On other issues, the education secretary affirmed that some government primary schools in the sub-district had registered children for reception classes although they did not have classrooms to accommodate them. 

She said although they had advised school heads against the practice, children were placed in unsuitable shelters within the schools.

Responding on the pre-primary classes issue, chief education officer, Ms Khumo Mosetlha said communication had been sent to schools for those without the requisite classes not to enroll any children for reception classes.

She however, said they would follow up with all the 42 schools in the district to ascertain that there were any that had not heeded the call. ENDS