Pretoria – The City of Tshwane has awarded 70 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in and around the city R100 000 each.
The city said the once-off payment is meant to be spent on food, toys and training of ECD practitioners, among other things.
Every year, the City of Tshwane sets aside money to assist ECDs.
ECD has been identified as crucial in the holistic development of children, laying the foundation for the rest of their journey through the school system.
Speaking at the handing over of cheques to ECD centres, Deputy Director in the Early Childhood Development Office in Tshwane, Natalie Mnisi, called on the practitioners to use the money for its intended purpose.
“The money should be used wisely and only for the kids’ needs,” she said.
Mnisi said the city wants to see to it that no child goes without accessing ECD services.
“ECD centres are there to prepare our kids for the future. We need to ensure that they get up to matric and to universities,” she said.
Mnisi also called on parents to discourage children from spending too much time watching TV.
Anna Shabangu, who runs an ECD centre in Bronkhorstspruit, thanked the City of Tshwane for the financial assistance.
“We will use the money wisely,” Shabangu assured the city.
In the past five years, access to ECD services has been broadened significantly.
The number of children in ECD centres directly subsidised by government has also increased from 432 727 to more than 545 347 in 2013.
Earlier this year, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said more than one million children are accessing ECD services throughout the country. – SAnews.gov.za
