Education & Training
ECD Training
The Phoenix Community Centre (PCC) has run the home base educare training programme for the last 9 years. The aims and objectives is to train unemployed women to take care of small groups of children, using their homes as home based care centres.
Adverts are placed in local newspapers to invite women to apply to be registered as trainees for the ECD programme. The course is run during weekends over four months and women from Phoenix and the surrounding townships of Inanda, Kwa-mashu and other areas surrounding Phoenix generally apply for the course. Religious organizations as well as women’s groups and well as NGO’s have identified and sent their members to this course. In the last year, 150 women enrolled for the ECD course.
Two co ordinators are appointed on a contract basis to manage the overall programme and to conduct some of the lectures/training. The local health dept., welfare dept. as well as local schools and medical services are brought on board to assist with the training programme.
The key aims of the programme are to create job opportunities for unemployed women and to create low cost ECD centres in various neighbour hoods. Over the last 9 years some 2000 women have been trained and many of them have either opened their own creches or are working as assistant educators and care givers in pre-primary schools.
A Network is being established with educational institutions to provide skills training.
The Phoenix Community Centre, true to its character and purpose in the community, is launching the: eThekwini ECD Forum.
The Phoenix Community Centre, Secretary Mr. Sharm Maharaj, motivated by the message in the National Minister of Education, Angie Motshekga’s address concerning the 2009 matric results: ‘The education system continues to be plagued by obvious weaknesses that act as barriers to the performance of our learners. We must continue to intensify our efforts to address these weaknesses” responded to change the status quo. Understanding that the formative years of learning is where a strong foundation of learning must be established and that these formative foundational years of learning are fundamental and crucial to obtaining good matric pass rates resulted in an analysis of early childhood facilities in the community of Phoenix and the surrounding townships.
A great need for training women in the community in the field of early childhood training was identified. An early childhood training course was programmed.
Woman with a desire to advance, educate and impact the children of our community were invited to attend this training course conducted by renowned educators in the field. Thus far, a total of 750 woman from various parts of Phoenix and surrounding areas enthusiastically attended and participated in both theory and practical lessons with great zeal.
It is fulfilling to note that a successful Graduation Ceremony was held on the 8th August 2010 at the Phoenix Community Centre Auditorium. This was attended by dignitaries of the Ethekwini Municipality an families of the graduates.
eThekwini ECD Forum :
After the completion of the ECD Training Course, a meeting was held to form a co ordinating structure for all early childhood educare organisations and institutions in KZN.
The following were identified as the aims and objectives of the forum:
- To assist emerging crèches to register their institutions with the relevant authorities.
- To provide ongoing training and support services to ECD workers.
- To provide an office and a Resource Centre for use by crèches.
- To assist crèches with fundraising projects.
- To work with crèches around extracurricular activities e.g. excursions, sports day etc.
The eThekwini ECD Forum was birthed as an initiative to give direction,upliftment and support service to the woman who have trained and graduated as well as to other existing early childhood development institutions in KZN.
The eThekwini ECD Forum aims to:
• Provide excellent ECD support service
• Co-ordinate continuous training upgrades for ECD Practioners
• Engage in joint fundraising projects to assist ECD facilities
• Host joint activity programmes for interaction and growth
• Develop a ECD Resource Centre
Launch of eThekwini ECD Forum :
The eThekwini ECD Forum was launched on 28th November 2010 and all crèches are invited to apply for membership.
The eThekwini ECD Forum invites all ECD Practioners to be a part of this Forum. We believe that together WE CAN make a difference in education!
ECD Practioners of KZN, you can contact the Phoenix Community Centre on the following
Contact Details :
Numbers: 0315004723
Email: p-c-c@telkomsa.net
for more details and for registration.