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Blantyre District Council wants more ECD centres

Blantyre District Council has asked development partners and well-wishers to construct more early childhood development (ECD) centres in the district.

The council’s director of planning and development Tamanya Harawa said this on Thursday in group village head (GVH) Chalamanda, Traditional Authority Kuntanja in the district when  Stephanos Foundation handed over two ECD centres worth K8 million to the communities.

He said: “ECD centres prepare children for primary education.

“I, therefore, appeal to organisations, institutions and well-wishers to help the council construct many pre-primary school education centres.”

Harawa said children who start their education from ECD centres have more chances to complete their studies.

Children sing during the handover

“I ask community members to take care of the structures,” he said.

In his remarks, the foundation’s international executive director Johan van der Ham said ECD centres give children a good foundation in life.

On her part, Stephanos Foundation programme manager Thea Mawaya said they are committed to implementing a number of projects in the area, including ECD, adult literacy and village, savings and loans (VSL) initiatives.

“We plan to construct 10 ECD centres in the area,” she said.

Namitalala Primary School head teacher Justin Magwera said children who join the school from ECD centres are easy to teach.

“They easily adapt and understand issues better than those without ECD background,” he said.

Namitalala ECD caregiver Flora Yakobe said they teach children about the English Alphabet and calendar, among others.

On his part, GVH Chalamanda said the centres will also support adult literacy and host VSL groups.

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