36 graduate from Community Based Childcare Centre to primary school
Action Aid’s early childhood development (ECD) project is progressing well in Dete, Traditional Authority (T/A) Chilooko in Ntchisi, where 36 children have graduated from Community Based Childcare Centre (CBCC) to primary school.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony on Friday at Dete primary school, the ECD project officer, Jimmy Chimalizeni said, the project is doing well in Dete compared to other areas where the CBCC initiative was implemented.
‘’We are happy with the progress of the project here at Dete, apart from having graduated 36 children to primary school, we have other 141 children between the ages of three and five years who are also at the CBCC of which some areas haven’t yet reached the capacity,’’ he said.
He further said for them to achieve the capacity, they involve communities and conduct awareness meetings on the advantages of CBCCs.
“We make sure that we conduct community sensitisation meetings and we train caregivers and other committees at the CBCC so that they can orient others on the importance of CBCCs,” said Chimalizeni.
In his remarks, the Ntchisi district social welfare officer, Denis Sikwese said the development at Dete is very encouraging.
“We appreciate the outcome because it is really showing that parents have known the advantages of sending children to CBCCs,” he said.
He added that sending children to CBCCs is a good start for them to enrol perfectly in primary school education.
‘’When children attend the CBCC, they learn a lot of things which help them gain knowledge and experience such that they do not have problems when they enrol in primary schools,’’ said Sikwese.
The chairman for Dete CBCC, Charles Manda said, they always make sure that children receive good care and food when they attend classes.
‘’We monitor the children and provide them with necessary support including porridge so that they should be able to attend classes daily,’’ said Manda.
The ECD project which has a total of 51 CBCCs, is being implemented in three Traditional Authorities in Ntchisi namely Kasakula, Chilooko and Kalumo.
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