Early Childhood Development Programme (ECD)

Background

The Centre for Multigrade Education (CMGE) commenced with in-service training sessions in the form of workshops, for grade R practitioners from 11 rural multigrade schools on Saturday 5 June 2010. Since then the total of schools has increased to thirteen. Nineteen practitioners, with no or varying degrees of ECD training, are involved in these training sessions.Three fascilitators/presenters namely Dr. A.P Pepler, Mrs. A Le Roux and Mrs. R van der Merwe were approached by Dr. J Joubert, director of the CMGE, to present the ECD training. All three ladies have obtained post graduate qualifications and have been involved in the field of ECD accumulatively for more than 60 years.

All costs involved in the training – accomodation, meals, training material, a literacy programme, menthal maths apparatus amongs others, enrollment fees at a FET College, even petrol claims is covered by the CMGE.

Rationale

The aim of the training is to establish a workable solution that address the problem of ECD training and qualifications. At present ECD practitioners are either untrained, have ECD National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 4 or 5 and a need of Continuing Professional Teaching Development (CPTD). No ECD Level 6 qualification is available as bridging course to a B.Ed degree (Level 7). Qualifications for grade R teaching has been stipulated in the Gazette No. 34467 of 15 July 2011, in the form of a diploma in grade R teaching, but no course material exist as yet. The CMGE would like to be part in this process.

Training of ECD practitioners at the CMGE

Courses from various Further Education and Training (FET) and Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) were investigated. A choice was made and eight practitioners were enrolled for the NQF Level 4 training and seven for the NQF Level 5 training. Thus differentiated accredited training takes place to address these practitioner’s individual professional needs. Those with no training an ECD NQF Level 4 qualification and those with an ECD NQF Level 4 with an ECD NQF Level 5 qualification. Assessment is done on site and external moderation takes place at the FET College.

School visits

School visits, as support to and monitoring of the practitioners takes place regularly. Practitioners are assisted with aspects such as classroom organisation, etc.

Other projects

The CMGE is in the process of producing video clips with best ECD practices for the use of multigrade practitioners.

To view the video's made thus fase, click here