The Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, will on Friday, September 08, officially open the Ikusasalethu Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD) which currently provides ECD services to thirty children residing in Mahlomane village, Kwa-Nongoma.
This centre is funded by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development and is one of the eight ECD centres in ward five Kwa Nongoma municipality which in total has eighty nine funded and non-funded ECD centres.
The opening of the centre is part of government’s commitment to extend ECD services to every child in South Africa between the ages of 0 and 4 years old. Government has declared ECD a public good and in 2015, Cabinet approved the country’s National ECD Policy.
ECD plays an important role in building a solid foundation for children. Government acknowledges the importance of the first one thousand days of a child.
The Department of Social Development also wishes to appeal to ECD practitioners to register their ECD centers so that they can receive the necessary support from Government. Government is currently subsidizing 347 936 children across the country with a total budget of R2 711 571 for ECD and partial care services.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover opening of the centre planned as follows:
Date: Friday, September 08, 2017
Time: 12h00
Venue: Ikusasalethu ECD Centre, Mahlomane village, Ward 5, Kwa-Nongoma - KZN Province
Media can RSVP by contacting Mr Jaconia Kobue - 063 249 5120 / jaconiak@dsd.gov.za or Justice Malapane - 079 4977 426 / justiced@dsd.gov.za
Media inquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 083 484 8067 or lumkao@dsd.gov.za
