29 council primary schools to get ECD blocks
THE Bulawayo City Council in partnership with School Development Committees has started constructing Early Childhood Development (ECD) blocks at most of its schools in the city at an estimated cost of $100 000.
This is also in line with the Government directive which said pupils who do not attend ECD at registered institutions will no longer be able to proceed to Grade One.
Speaking at a council budget review meeting for 2018 held in Pumula last week, Mzilikazi housing officer Mr Dingani Khanye said: “The development programme is spearheaded by the PTA (Parents Teachers Association) and parents contribute money and buy what they can.”
Mr Khanye said the local authority only provides labour, plans for the buildings and expertise to assist in the construction of blocks. Council senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said all the 29 schools will be catered for under the programme.
“All 29 council primary schools should benefit from the construction of ECD blocks. It should be noted that these are constructed in partnership with council who are putting up these structures. It takes only 82 days to construct an ECD block if all materials are readily available,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She said the blocks are being built to suit ECD learners and also help to alleviate hot sitting in schools. According to data from the council work is in progress at 18 schools. ECD was formally integrated into the education system in 2005 through a Permanent Secretary Circular and was annexed to existence in primary schools.
Pupils are supposed to embark on two years of early primary education before they can enrol for Grade One.
Mrs Mpofu said: “Construction of the ECD blocks was as a directive from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education following the recommendations of the 1999 Nziramasanga Commission of Inquiry into education.”