ECD centers discuss registration challenges
Early childhood development centres (ECD) and Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality came together to discuss registration of centres at a recent Indaba.
ALBERTON – This step is an assurance to both the business owner and her clients that the facility meets the norms and standards for providing a safe environment for children in which their developmental needs will be nurtured.
The good news is, 350 child care centre owners in Ekurhuleni already know this and have recently been declared fit to render such services by the Gauteng Department of Social Development.
This emerged during the opening of the Ekurhuleni Early Childhood Development Indaba, which was held at the Alberton Civic Centre on November 10.
Over 600 ECD practitioners gathered at the Indaba, hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni, to address the challenges they face in rendering ECD services. There to hear them out, was Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Cllr Mondli Gungubele and Member of Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development Cllr Makhosazana Twala.
One of the challenges highlighted was the delay in registering centres caused by the slow process of approving of rezoning applications. Currently the municipality is faced with a backlog of thousands of rezoning applications for ECD centres.
In response, the Executive Mayor committed to investigating the status quo with the aim of crafting a solution in the coming months. The Metro’s City Planning Department was also present to take note of concerns and outlined their requirements for rezoning applications.
The Metro’s Environmental Health Division – who plays a crucial role in assessing and monitoring the hygiene and environmental health elements of ECDs – also gave a presentation at the Indaba, followed by the Department of Health.
