Young Dikeledi wants to improve early childhood development

Dikeledi Ranoto (26) made the resolution to change the face of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector by strategically assisting crèches to improve by implementing their curriculum.

She said she had realised that many local crèches mistake the ECD centres for childminding services as opposed to an education facility.

“In a number of ECD centres children go to the crèche to eat, play and sleep without learning anything.

“To intervene in that situation I came up with the Atleha Champions Club competition which brings all crèches together in one space to compete on things being taught at the ECD centres.

“This helps to monitor the development of children at ECD centres,” Ranoto said.

This iBazelo section social entrepreneur believes children’s intellectual health needs to be nurtured as early as nursery school level to bring about a positive impact in the ECD sector in Tembisa.

“We want to make sure that parents are involved in the development of their children’s mental health.

“The main focus is child development and ensuring that ECD centres have full capacity to play their role in early education.

“We need to fill that gap and get more sponsors to support the initiative of early education through Atleha Champions Club competition,” said Ranoto.

Many parents do not have the time to sit with their children and go through what they have learned at school, which deprives children of an opportunity to show their parents what they did at nursery school.

Five crèches will compete on April 13 at Rabasotho Hall to show parents what they have learned throughout the term.

“Crèches will compete based on the ECD curriculum and at the end participants will be awarded trophies and medals.

“Judges will assess things like colouring, reciting the alphabet and numbers, cutting and pasting, the ability to remember, sing rhymes, etc.

“This will ensure that township crèches abide by the set government curriculum designed for the ECD sector,” Ranoto explained.

She said when principals from other crèches see these institutions get awarded for their good work, they will be encouraged to improve their performance and strive for excellence in learning and teaching.

“We invite parents, principals and teachers in the ECD sector to come and witness the first annual Atleha Champions Club competition to get inspired to strive for improvement in their own crèches.

“As a local community, we can all play a part in nurturing our children.

“Crèches need to unite and assist one another to improve township nursery schools in Tembisa.”

For more information on the Atleha Champions Club competition call 073 874 1774.