WINDHOEK – Children who attend pre-primary school are better off than those that go straight to primary school without any pre-primary school education. This view was expressed by Katrina Mupo, a volunteer at the Oprah Crèche (kindergarten) in Okuryangava.
“Most people take their children to a kindergarten when they are six years old and they do not really master everything. This makes it hard for them when they go to school,” Mupo said yesterday. It is at crèches where children’s minds are strengthened at an early stage, she added. Also, the kindergarten is a safe environment where children can interact with others, she noted. At the crèche, children aged 3 to 4 are taught how to draw, colour, sing, drama and they work with puzzles, while those aged 5 to 6 are taught the different colours, alphabet, vowels and writing their names, according to Mupo.
As schools and kindergartens opened yesterday, workers at the Oprah Crèche were cleaning and preparing for the year ahead when New Era paid them a visit. Parents and guardians pay N$150 per month if their children are to be accommodated at the crèche between 08h00 in the morning and 13h00 and if they remain beyond that time they have to pay an additional N$50.
Although infants would not be accommodated this year, the owner of the crèche, Veronika Shindoma said in previous years parents were charged N$200 per month to care for infants. “But we do not have a room to accommodate the babies, so we are accommodating children from three years until six years,” said Shindoma. She says the fee is reasonable for parents and that there are parents who only pay for the first month and never bother afterwards. “It is easy to register the children, but paying is a problem. Some parents do not want to pay. We do not refuse the children lessons, because we know they need education. Orphans do not pay a cent and there are old people who bring their grandchildren here, saying they cannot afford to pay and we accommodate them, Shindoma said.
The crèche is registered with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and according to Shindoma, her establishment received some financial assistance from the government last year. The money was used mainly for teachers’ salaries and the maintenance of the crèche.
“Last year we received a donation from CAFO (Church Alliance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children). They assisted us with food, stationary and toiletries for the children,” Shindoma added.
By Alvine Kapitako