The City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department will this year take a sterner approach to encourage Early Childhood Development centres (ECDs) to register their facilities. Issues such as compliance with safety, health and building regulations are facets that fall within the domain of the City and are crucial in ensuring that children have the best possible start to their school career.

‘The registration of ECDs is crucial as it sets the tone for children’s lifelong learning. It plays a vital role in a child’s formative years and, according to legislation, each child has a right to the nationally required level of education from the ECD that they attend,’ said the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith.

 

Principals of ECDs must first approach a Western Cape Department of Social Development appointed NGO in their area who will assist them with the registration requirements. The applicant will then approach and apply for land use rights at the City’s municipal offices and submit all supporting documents such as the land use form, power of attorney and lease agreement amongst others. Site inspections will be conducted by the City’s health, fire and building inspectors in order to determine that all the site conditions and learning programmes of the centre are satisfactory.

​‘It is important that parents ensure that the ECD of their choice is registered and that the registration certificate is displayed at the entrance of the facility. It is time that parents invest as much time in selecting an ECD for their child as they would for a primary school.  ECDs are responsible for the beginning phase of your child’s learning career. The ideas and activities they are exposed to are crucial in advancing their development.

‘I want to call on parents to ask questions and make enquiries and to take a tour around the facility to confirm that it is indeed a safe and conducive environment for learning and playing. Parents should ask about the daily programmes and what their child will learn. Finally, I want to encourage parents to become involved and to support the ECD in any way they can,’ said Alderman Smith.

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