Parents trained to get kids ready for school
About 200 parents in Adelaide, Bedford, Somerset East and Cookhouse have been awarded certificates, after completing a series of hands-on school readiness training and mentoring workshops aimed at providing them with the skills to prepare their young children for formal schooling.
In partnership with training agency Siyawela Ready to Succeed, the Cookhouse Wind Farm implemented the second cohort of an ECD: Parenting Programme, called Bringing Parents to the Education Table (BPET).
The training programme was completed at the end of August, with 191 parents receiving certificates for attending more than 50% of the training workshops and mentoring sessions, while 112 parents received gold certificates for achieving attendance of 88% or more.
Ntombekaya Zito, a parent from Somerset East, said: “I never realised that I was my child’s first teacher. I only realised that I am my child’s first teacher because I am the one who teaches him respect, sets boundaries and loves and cares for him.
“I have now learnt such a lot about basic concepts, the importance of healthy food and routine.
“I have learnt not to shout or give meaningless warnings to my child. The exercises and healthy eating habits have also helped me to keep my blood pressure under control.”
The parents who attended the BPET programme will continue to receive mentoring from the Mentor Moms stationed within their respective communities.
“Workshops are interactive and loads of fun, packed with interactive activities parents can do at home with their children, while the home visits reinforce what is learnt in the and provide the extra needed support,” according to Elton Gordon, special projects manager for Cookhouse Wind Farm.
The aim of the programme is to improve parents’ knowledge and skills to contribute towards the improved school readiness of their children.
The programme was offered to parents from ECD Centres participating in the ECD Flagship Initiative situated in Adelaide, Bedford, Somerset East and Cookhouse, with a maximum of 200 participants.
The “Bringing Parents to the Education Table” project is funded by Cookhouse Wind Farm, as part of its Early Childhood Development Flagship Programme.
The three-month programme has received resounding support from participating parents.
It is based on the belief that for a child to succeed they need support from their parents, because education starts in the home.
The programme includes interactive workshops, mentoring and home visits.
One of the unique attributes of this programme is that it goes beyond the classroom to include one-on-one mentorship.
This results in an increased ability on the part of parents to positively impact their children’s education.