The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) says it is working to certify 300 additional basic schools in meeting its 12 qualifying standards, over the Board’s three-year tenure.
This exercise, when completed in 2019, will bring the number to 317, following last year’s certification of the first 17 of the approximately 2,700 early childhood institutions in operation.
The ECC’s acting executive director, Karlene Degrasse-Deslandes, tells JIS News that 100 institutions, with an enrolment of approximately 10,000 children, are being targeted under the initial phase of the current certification exercise, which commenced last September and is scheduled for completion in August this year.
She says the agency is in the process of completing the certification of 22 of the 100 institutions shortlisted from 183 identified island wide.
The 22 are located in Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine, Clarendon, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, Trelawny and Portland.
Mrs. Degrasse-Deslandes says these schools have attained between 90 and 99 per cent of the certification standard requirements, adding that the remaining 73 institutions’ state of compliance ranges between 70 and 99 per cent.
She tells JIS News that the factors and considerations influencing selection of the 100 institutions included, inter alia, the outcome of inspections detailing schools’ operations; and operators’/practitioners’ willingness to work with the ECC in implementing the Standards.
The Standards outline specific stipulations relating to: staffing; developmental and educational programmes; interactions and relationships with children; physical environment; indoor and outdoor equipment, furnishing and supplies; health; nutrition; safety; children’s rights, protection and equality; interactions with parents and community members; administration; and finance.
She notes the significant interest generated among practitioners/operators following last July’s certification of the first 17 institutions.
