On 11 September, the Civic Centre in Lenasia South hosted an important information session for Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres from Wards 120, 3, and 8.
The session brought together various government stakeholders to guide ECD centres on compliance requirements needed to qualify for funding from the Department of Education. Representatives from several key departments were present, including Disaster Management’s Dumiso Sibasa, Social Development’s Regina Mathe, EMS’s Ms Mphonyana, Health Promoter Veronica Struis and Environmental Health officials Nyeleti Minyuku and Zandile Masenya.
Each stakeholder outlined the critical role their department plays in supporting ECD centres and ensuring safe, compliant learning environments for young children. Disaster Management emphasised that safety must never be compromised in any ECD facility. EMS stressed the importance of empowering centres to prevent incidents before they happen. From a health promotion perspective, Veronica Struis praised the love, patience, and compassion that principals show towards children, calling it a blessing, while encouraging ECDs to improve their standards of nutrition and hygiene.
The Department of Social Development assured centres that it would assist them step by step in the compliance journey, but also cautioned that the process is not always easy. Environmental Health shared Chapter 14 of the City of Johannesburg by-laws and reminded ECD operators of the detailed requirements that every centre must meet, including adherence to Regulation R638. The information session proved to be a valuable platform for ECD centres to engage directly with government stakeholders and gain practical insights into compliance.
With this guidance, centres are now better equipped to strengthen safety, health, and overall quality standards, ensuring that children in Orange Farm and Lenasia South can learn and grow in environments that are nurturing, compliant and safe.
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