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FAQs ]
Education
Where can I
get a bursary/funds to further my studies?
Contact the following organisations:
- Department of Education (National Student Financial
Aid Scheme)
Contact : Seputu Mampane
E-mail: mampane.g@doe.gov.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 312 5256
Fax: +27 (0)12 323 7532
Postal address: Private Bag X895, PRETORIA, 0001
- National Student Financial Aid Scheme
E-mail: info@nsfas.org.za
Tel: +27 (0)21 763 3232
Fax: +27 (0)21 797 8131
Postal address: Private Bag X1, Plumstead, CAPE TOWN,
7801
Physical address: 18-20 Court Road, Wynberg, 7800
-
SA-USA Fulbright Commission
E-mail: fulbright@doe.gov.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 312 5175/5104/5144/5487
Fax: +27 (0)12 321 1586
Postal address: PO Box 28059, Sunnyside, PRETORIA, 0132
Physical address: Room 742 Sol Plaatje House, 123 Schoeman Street, Pretoria, 0001
- Thabo Mbeki Crossroads Education Fund
Contact: Thomeka Dandala
E-mail:
tdandala@mbekiedutrust.org.za
Tel: +27 082 990 8638
Fax: +27 (0)11 388 7905
Postal address: PO Box 784646, SANDTON, 2146
Physical address: 70 Rivonia Road, IBM Park, SANDTON, 2146
-
The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
Contact: Boitumelo Mdwaba (Head Office - South Africa)
E-mail: tumim@nmcf.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)11 274 5600
Fax: +27 (0)11 486 3914
Postal address: PO Box 797, Highlands North, 2037
Physical address: 21 Eastwold Way,Cnr Oxford Road, Saxonwold 2196
- Educational Opportunities Council (EOC)
Contact: Russ Nelson
E-mail: eoc@iafrica.com
Tel: +27 (0) 11 833 1510-7
Fax: +27 (0) 11 838 7654
Postal address: PO Box 3323, JOHANNESBURG, 2000
Physical address: 14 Manifest House, cnr. Simons and Marshall Street, JOHANNESBURG, 2000
You could also approach your bank for a loan. Some
also give bursaries to students of merit.
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How do I
acquire contact information of schools and tertiary
institutions?
Public schools
Contact information for public schools can be
obtained from the
Department of Education
Contact: Ms Kgabiso Pooe
E-mail:
pooe.k@doe.gov.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 312 5482
Fax: +27 (0)12 328 6029
Postal address: Private Bag X895, PRETORIA, 0001
See also
Independent schools
Contact information for independent schools can be
obtained from the
Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA)
E-mail:
info@isasa.org
Tel: +27(0)11 648 7208/1331
Fax: +27(0)11 648 1467
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Where can I find out when the school holidays are?
The school calendar with details of the school terms are published in the Government Gazette annually.
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Where can I find out about other training courses?
Information on various training courses can be ontained from The Skills Portal.
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What is Early Childhood Development?
ECD is a comprehensive approach to programmes and policies for children from birth to nine years of age with the active participation of their parents and caregivers. Its purpose is to protect the rights of children to develop their full cognitive, emotional, social and physical potential. The Department of Education is responsible for children in grades 1 to 3 as part of compulsory schooling.
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How do I register an ECD centre?
To establish and register an early childhood development centre or needs to apply for changes to an existing registration certificate you must:
- contact the office of the Department of Social Development nearest to the proposed centre
- consult the local authority (municipality) to obtain the right of use and the necessary health clearance certificate to run the centre in a particular place
- contact the local Departments of Education and Health in the area where the early childhood development centre is located to find out if they have any other requirements.
The Minister will consider the registration or re-registration of a centre when a report and a recommendation by the Department of Social Development have been received. A certificate from the local authority stating that the centre complies with all the structural and health requirements of the local authority must accompany the report.
Where minimum standards are not met, the centre can be provisionally registered and a subsidy may be paid to enable them to meet the minimum standards within a specific timeframe. If these conditions are not met, this may result in closure of the facility and/or service.
An early childhood centre is subject to quality assurance review or inspection by the Department of Social Development at least once a year.
Steps to register an early childhood development centre
Step 1:
A person intending to establish an early childhood development centre has to contact the social worker or other official employed and authorised by the provincial Department of Social Development at the district office in their region to arrange for an interview.
The following will be discussed:
- registration requirements
- Child Care Act
- registration procedures
- minimum standards
- application form
- subsidy procedure
- monitoring and evaluation
Step 2:
The social worker or other official employed and authorised by the provincial Department of Social Development will provide the applicant with an application form and any other relevant documents to use as guidelines.
The following documents, attached to the application form, have to be completed by the applicant:
- menu
- daily programme
- needs assessment form (giving details of the area local to the centre in terms of number of young children and how many other centres cater for them i.e. explain the need for this centre in this area.)
The applicant also has to submit a copy of:
- a lease agreement, proof of ownership or permission to occupy the land
- job descriptions for centre staff, including grievance and disciplinary procedures
No incomplete forms will be accepted. All documents required are to be submitted with the application form to enable the evaluation process for registration to begin.
Step 3:
When the properly completed application form and all relevant documents listed in Step 2 have been received, the social worker or other official employed and authorised by the provincial Department of Social Development:
- visits the premises
- informs the environmental health officer by letter
- informs other relevant stakeholders by letter, for example Department of Education, that an application for registration has been received.
Step 4:
When the health clearance certificate and/or other reports have been received, the social worker or other official employed and authorised by the provincial Department of Social Development completes the checklist of all requirements detailed in Steps 2 and 3. If these have been met, the social worker issues a provisional registration certificate, which is valid for one year. During this time a subsidy may be granted to the centre to enable them to meet the minimum standards.
The following conditions need to be met:
- Administrative and financial management systems have to be satisfactory.
- Services provided to the children in terms of physical, emotional, intellectual and social care have to be satisfactory.
- The physical condition of the centre has to be satisfactory.
- The general functioning of the centre has to be satisfactory.
If not satisfactory, the social worker will continue to consult, advise, empower, build capacity and review the facility.
Step 5:
The social worker will monitor the centre for one year and do an assessment of the services offered by the centre, including:
- the general care of the children
- administrative systems
- financial systems.
If satisfactory, a full registration certificate will be issued (valid for two years) and a subsidy may be paid.
If not satisfactory, the provisional certificate will be extended for a further six months during which a subsidy may be paid.
If the centre does not meet the minimum standards after this six-month period it will be shut down.
Step 6:
The centre must be monitored by the social worker for two years.
A developmental quality assurance assessment must be done and the registration certificate will be renewed or withdrawn.
A centre has to re-register when an applicant intends to:
- move the centre to another building or premises
- extend or decrease the size of the existing structure
- increase the number of children enrolled
- sell the business or change ownership.
The procedure for re-registration is the same as for registration.
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What guidelines are available for Early Childhood Development Services?
A document on Guidelines for Early Childhood Development Services is available from the Department of Social Development.
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Last modified: 16 July 2008 13:49:46. |
