Zululand early education needs to be addressed
Using the hashtag #EveryWeekCounts, SmartStart shares information on how early learning can be achieved through talk, play, nurture and storytelling.
THERE is a high number of young children within the King Cetshwayo district who do not have access to early learning materials.
To address this issue, SmartStart on Thursday launched a local branch to improve the lives of Zululand children.
Launched at eSikhaleni Community Hall on Thursday, the branch’s main aim is to assist the community with early learning programmes.
Using the hashtag #EveryWeekCounts, SmartStart shares information on how early learning can be achieved through talk, play, nurture and storytelling.
According to CEO Grace Matlhape, the aim is to provide an effective and affordable solution that enables unemployed women and men to run their own programmes.
‘We understand the critical role played by quality early learning in the first five years of a child’s life. This is what helps to create a happy, well-adjusted child who will be ready for primary school.
‘We are driven by the knowledge that, with even a small amount of good stimulation, children are building the foundation they need to thrive at school,’ said Matlhape.
Within the programme, they build relationships with early learning centres and communities.
They also enable sourcing and training of additional practitioners, which increases both awareness and support of their programme.
‘Parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers. While we value the knowledge and capability they already have in this area, our aim is to provide them with the additional tools and information they need to ensure ongoing stimulation at home.
‘Many caregivers are still choosing to stay safe and spend their time at home. As a result, we have had to re-imagine the way we provide support to caregivers in the communities where we work.’
Since 2015, the social franchise has built and trained over 9 000 SmartStart practitioners with hopes to fill the gap for the early learning service provision.
In Zululand, they have trained many caregivers to open their SmartStart learning centre, which has equipped them with necessary skills to build and run their centres while benefitting the community.
At the launch were representatives from the departments of education and social development, as well as other similar structures such as TREE (Training and Resources in Early Education) and LETCEE (Little Elephant Training Centre for Early Education).
