By Trevor Thwaites (St.George's correspondent)


GRENADA - The Springs Day Care and Pre-Primary School will be reopened in March of 2007, after being put out of commission by Hurricane Ivan in September of 2004. A brand new and improved facility is being constructed under the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF). It is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Grenada Government. The Sod-turning ceremony for the close to one million dollar (EC$950,000) facility was held last Tuesday.

The Pre-school is comprised of 3,680 sq ft. Its features include a play area, a sick bay, kitchen and lunch rooms, office space for principal and staff and toilet facilities. The facility is also fitted with a Child Development Centre that will be equipped with self-contained baby rooms, toddlers departments for sleeping, playing and changing, a multi-purpose room, office space, kitchen and change rooms and laundry area. Officials say that the Pre-school will accommodate 60 children, while the Child Development Centre will serve another 25.

Officials of the Department of Social Services are delighted with the reopening of the facility in the next eight months after being destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. Child Care officer Dawn Cyrus says that it is the intension of the government to build Model Day Care Centres around the country. She said that the facility in Springs will bring to four the number of Modern Day Care Centres in the country. “The first was built in Victoria two years ago and by March next year there will three additional centres.

Cyrus said Department of Social Services over the past two years was focusing on the development of the human resource aspect of Early Childhood with much investment in Care-givers. “We can boost of 48 Care-givers being certified at level one to deliver quality Childhood Services. The level of certification is recognized at any Commonwealth country; so with CSME Day Care/ Care-givers do not be afraid, you can compete.”

Cyrus wants the wider society to partner with the government to construct more Model Day Care Centres, because she says that government cannot do all alone. Early Childhood officer in the Ministry of Education Mrs Ivory Harris highlighted the importance of the centres. “We are going to be erecting Model Centres- centres that will provide the right kind of environment and help for our young children. I want to say to Grenada, that if you put your best foot in Early Childhood Education, you will have educational and economic progress,” Mrs Harris said.

The Early Childhood officer wants to see more emphasis and focus given to Early Childhood Education. “It is the foundation and you must put the best and most there honourable ministers,” referring to Minister of Works the Honourable Clarice Modeste Curwen and Health Minister Senator Ann David Antoine who attended the Sod-turning Ceremony. Mrs Harris said the Pre-Primary School will be temporarily be reopened in September at the building next to the South St George Government School and that programmes will also be provided for parents to help better guide the development of their children.