TRAINING PROGRAMME EMPOWERS

October 2024.

Recognising the critical role of quality early childhood education, a comprehensive seven-month training programme has empowered 28 ECD practitioners, within the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality, with the skills to shape young minds. Supported by Zeerust Solar in partnership with the Department of Education, the programme has not only improved teaching standards across 28 local ECD centre’s but also positively impacted the lives of hundreds of children, ensuring safer, more effective early learning environments.

The programme culminated in a graduation ceremony, held in Zeerust, celebrating the practitioners’ achievements. Throughout the training, participants received site support visits and hands-on mentorship, guiding them through essential tasks and helping them build their portfolios of evidence.

“Through this programme, the local community is seeing tangible improvements in early childhood education. Children now have access to quality ECD services, practitioners are better trained to understand holistic child development, and parents are actively involved in their children’s learning journeys. This initiative strengthens not only the ECD centres but also the broader community, ensuring a brighter future for the youngest members of society,” explained Qinisani Siveshe, Community Operations Manager for Zerust Solar.

Additionally, the programme has provided valuable insights to ECD centre managers. By understanding the importance of compliance, stakeholder engagement, and business sustainability, these managers are better positioned to run their centres effectively. Moreover, parents and guardians have gained a deeper appreciation of play’s role in a child’s development and are now more aware of how they can contribute to their children’s growth at home.

Olebogeng Mogotsi from Kida Academy, shared, “This programme helped transform my centre. I now understand how to arrange areas for learning, create a daily programme, and follow the Early Learning Development Areas (ELDAs). We even accommodate a special needs child, ensuring every child has a right to learn and develop. Before this, we were unregistered, but now we have met the requirements and are officially registered. The number of children at our centre has grown, and parents are happy. We even hold workshops to help parents understand child development.”

Looking ahead, additional mentorship and support are planned for 2025, particularly for the ECD centre managers. This continued guidance will ensure that the centres remain compliant, sustainable, and equipped to provide quality early childhood education.