Batswana

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Gaberones, Botswana

Encourage Children To Unleash Potential Freely
16 May, 2006

MOCHUDI - The Early Childhood Care and Education Programme is meant to provide a holistic approach to developmental needs of children in preparing them for primary education, says Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government.

Thato Raphaka said children should be encouraged to unleash their potential, freely express their creativity and knowledge at the early stages of their childhood.

Raphaka said Saturday officially opening Tapologo Day Care Centre in Mochudi that children come to daycare centres with different individual experiences and backgrounds and then learn, adopt and adapt new things in life.

We need to continue to search for ways and means of providing more of such facilities particularly with a view of reaching out to children from poor families and marginalised communities who are more likely not to access early childhood education and thereby remain socially and economically deprived, he said.

He said Youth for Christ and Apostolic Faith Mission should be congratulated for having joined hands in establishing Tapologo Day Care Centre for orphans and vulnerable children.

I am informed that the centre has received donations from different oragnisations in order to complete construction of the premises, as well as purchase educational materials and therefore wish to commend all those who contributed towards the development and daily operations of the center, he said.

We need to inject and maintain a transparent culture in our operations, which are in line with the national principles and ideals of vision 2016. We should comfortably continue to encourage other organisations to be compassionate, just and caring with a view to attaining our Vision 2016 pillar.

Raphaka said to realise Batswanas satisfaction, there was need to work with Non Governmental Organisations within a transparent culture to get honest feed back and avoid duplication of efforts in what the nation did or planned to do.

He commended Youth for Christ and Apostolic Faith Mission and all other stakeholders involved for their selfless effort in having appropriate strategic vision in implement the project.

He added that government was committed to providing children with quality and relevant education.

He said the government recognised Batswana as a major resource and on the other hand considers education as a fundamental human right.

As a result the nation aimed at investing in its people a quality education necessary for national development.

The partnership between non-governmental organizations, government and private sector was key and crucial to the proper development, upbringing and education of the children.

Raphaka said three stakeholders should be able to create a climate that was conducive to the practice of the nations norms and traditions but all the time ensure that its traditions augur well and were in keeping with the good that development and change brought.