Scores of Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs) principals from Lwandle converged at Nomzamo Community Hall on Monday 31 July for a fire and safety workshop.
The training was organised and conducted by the City of Cape Town’s Department of Social Development (DSD) in partnership with the Sir Lowry’s Pass Fire Station in Helderberg.
The workshop aimed to empower and educate the ECDs about the basic requirements to start an ECD and measures to put in place when the facility is up and running.
The City’s DSD assistant professional officer Sandile Namba described the workshop as a stepping stone into the future.
He stated that part of the workshop is to educate them about the importance of registering their ECD’s. He said registering an ECD is not a child’s play.
“We are here to educate them about the basic things that they should know before starting a creche. We noticed that some of them open their ECD’s without following proper procedures which makes it difficult to be funded by the department,” he said.
Namba advised that whoever wants to open an ECD to first visit the nearest office to get advice or relevant information about what they must do. He stated that most of the ECD in the informal areas don’t comply because of the area they are or the structure.
“We advised them to register it as a non-profit organisation, and must have a building plan, fire and safety certificate and health certificate. In most cases the ECD’s in the informal areas the department does not fund them instead we support them with equipment,” he emphasised.
Adam Damons, a fire educator at Sir Lowry’s Fire Station in Helderberg stated that it is vital for each ECD to have a fire extinguisher in case of emergency. He said they must have an evacuation plan as well. “The fire extinguisher or fire blanket are part of the requirements from the DSD. We also show them how to use a fire extinguisher,” he said, adding that the fire extinguisher is filled up every year if it never works but if somebody uses it they must fill it up immediately.
Owner of Love and Peace Educare, Sylvia Hlonyane from Asanda Village described the workshop as educational citing that these kinds of workshops are needed in the community. “I established my ECD in 2016 but till today is not registered because it does not comply. I started as a foster care in 2012 but I changed in 2016 to be an ECD. I’ve applied many times but it is not approved. The problem is that I converted my house to be an ECD,” she said.