JIS: As Jamaicans gear up to give their time, effort and financial contributions towards projects on Labour Day, May 23, Chairperson, Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Trisha Williams-Singh, is calling on persons to support basic schools across the island on the day.
Speaking with JIS News at the Horizon Park Primary and Infant School’s Retirees Appreciation Banquet, held at The Knutsford Court Hotel on Teachers’ Day, May 8, Mrs. Williams-Singh noted that the theme for Labour Day 2019 – ‘Child safety… It’s you, it’s me, it’s all ah we!’ – is in keeping with Standard 8 of the 12 Standards for Early Childhood Institutions outlined by the ECC.
This Standard focuses on the safety of children and states that, “Early childhood institutions should provide safe indoor and outdoor environments for children, staff, stakeholders and visitors to the institution”.
Mrs. Williams-Singh said this is a standard that some basic schools across the island have not yet achieved, and with the assistance of the public on Labour Day, the schools can be upgraded, be re-marked by the ECC and improve their scores towards full certification.
“The schools need help with perimeter fencing, acquiring fire extinguishers and so much more for the safety of students,” Mrs. Williams-Singh said.
She also noted that achieving the goals of Standard 8 will assist basic schools in achieving the goals of Standard 9, which addresses “child rights, child protection and equality”. It states that, “Early childhood institutions should uphold the rights of children, protect them from harm and ensure that all children have equal access to services”.
For their part, the ECC will be activating one project in each parish across the island to help needy basic schools fulfil the requirements of all 12 Standards of the ECC.
The various projects the ECC will be activating will take place in Kingston at Galilee Basic School; St. Andrew, End Time Basic School; St. Thomas, Rowlandsfield Primary and Infant School;
Portland, Rural Hill Basic School; St. Mary, Devon Pen Infant School; St. Ann, Mount Zion Infant Department; Trelawny, Wakefield Infant Department; St. James, Content Basic School; Hanover, Cave Valley Infant School; Westmoreland, Cornwall Mountain Infant Department; Manchester, Mitchell Town Infant Department; St. Catherine, St. Johns Road Basic Early Childhood Institution; Clarendon, Mitchell Town Infant Department, and St. Elizabeth, Knoxwood Basic School.
CAPTION: Chairperson, Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Trisha Williams-Singh, speaks at the Horizon Park Primary and Infant School’s Retirees Appreciation Banquet, held at The Knutsford Court Hotel on Teachers’ Day, Wednesday (May 8).