May 2021
Boshof Solar Power’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme, which works to advance childhood development in the target areas of Boshof and Hertzogville, has been expanded to include a support programme. Three ECD Centres will be receiving Management Training in additional to fourteen ECD Practitioners being funded to attain their 2-year NQF Level 4 certification.
This extensive programme, will uplift Practitioner qualification to a required level, for all teaching staff, across the nine ECD centres that the solar plant supports, within its beneficiary communities of Boshof and Hertzogville.
“Our programme will ensure that these twelve ECD centres will fulfil the Department of Social Development’s requisite that strongly advises that all practitioners possess an ECD NQF Level 4 qualification,” said Zuki Ndlela, Economic Development Officer for Boshof Solar Power.
Management training for Kgatelopele Crèche, in Boshof; as well as Thari Ya Mme Educare and Kopano ECD, both in Hertzogville will focus on compliance and ECD centre governance. This will include financial management, fundraising, and the management of an ECD centre, in addition to other regulatory training.
“We are not only looking to uplift the teaching quality, but are working to help ensure the compliance of ECD centres with the National Norms and Standards, which is a primary focus of our programme and long term vision, to ensure that ECD centres move from being day care facilities to centres of education and development that are sustainable and can offer the best care possible,” added Ndlela.
The full cohort of ECD practitioners completed their First Aid training, which included basic firefighting, during April. Additionally, this training was extended to include all cooks from these ECD centres, in accordance with safety requirements and in compliance with the National Norms and Standards.
Whilst Boshof Solar Power is funding this training programme, the programme is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Social Development.
Practitioner training will continue until late- 2022, with graduation expected to take place in February 2023.
