R61m to go to early childhood development centres
THE Department of Social Development has re-prioritised R61 million from the infrastructure grant allocation to support early childhood development centres (ECDs) that continue to serve disadvantaged children in rural areas and townships during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was revealed by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.
Zulu recently responded to a question by EFF MP Rosina Komane who quizzed her over the role that her department had played in ensuring that ECDs complied with the Covid-19 regulations.
Zulu indicated that she had already published directives that applied to early childhood development programmes and partial care facilities as part of her and the department’s responsibility to ensure compliance.
“Furthermore, the Department of Social Development on June 23 issued detailed standard operating procedures and guidelines for an early development centre that provides an aftercare service on measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of Covid-19.”
She added: “The department has further re-purposed the infrastructure conditional grant allocation for 2020-21, which amounts to R61m, to support early childhood development programmes in rural areas and townships, and serve poor children.”
Responding to another parliamentary question by DA MP Alexandra Abrahams, who asked about the details of the qualifying criteria for early childhood development centres that would receive the procured PPE, Zulu said the facilities that qualified to receive PPE were those that were registered and unfunded as well as those unregistered and located in poor communities.
“Funding has been re-purposed from the existing conditional grant allocation and each provincial Department of Social Development will source from their local co-operatives and small, medium and micro-enterprises for the procurement of PPE,” she said.
“The procurement will take 4-6 weeks,” she added. Early last month, Zulu was ordered by the Gauteng High Court to immediately re-open crèches and early childhood centres subject to safety measures being in place to combat the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The judgment came almost four weeks after acting director-general Linton Mchunu issued a circular instructing early childhood centres not to re-open until Zulu pronounced directions. Mchunu at the time had indicated that facilities which intended re-opening during the pandemic had to complete a self-assessment form.