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{
    "id": 561752,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/561752/?format=api",
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    "content": "There is also a specification need for a public health and sanitary inspection report. You cannot have children sometimes in squalor situations where they get sick because of drinking dirty water yet parents took them to school and paid a lot of money. The reason for the strictness in the registration is that it has, over time, been known that certain people have made this a business. Therefore, you will find people who begin the ECDE centres without the necessary infrastructure and finances needed to make sure that the centres are run well. That creates a problem. There is also need for certified copies of professional and academic certificates of teachers and principals. This is just to ensure that all areas of a child’s education are managed well so that nothing is left to chance. There should not be a situation where a child goes to school, but does not learn anything important or goes back home without understanding what the teacher taught. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the criteria are hinged on certain specific things which are very important and I need to stress on that. For example, the premises must meet the requirements that have been indicated in Clause 20. There should be enough room for playing, enough air, no tall buildings nearby and sanitary facilities and running water should be available. All these have been specified. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the reason for very specific indications being given is that, before an inspection is done, people present situations that do not fit specifications yet they are allowed to go on and put up education institutions. They claim to have been running an institution for the last five years and claim that they are in a position to continue doing so. One of the issues that we discussed at length in the committee was about what happens to institutions already running, but they do not, for one reason or another, meet the specifications that have been given. Such institutions will be re-inspected. If they are not fit, according to the regulations, they will be allowed time to make adjustments in order to meet the regulations. Once they fit into the regulations, then they are going to be accredited. However, they are not going to be given accreditation forever. Initially it is going to be for six months. After six months, there will be an evaluation where, again, inspectors will come back and look at the centres to ensure that everything is running well. So, the issue of premises and capacity to provide care for the children and ensure that they have qualified staff becomes a very critical area in this particular Bill. Indeed, if need be, there is a provision in Clause 25 for the cancellation of registration. When this Bill is enacted, we have centres that already exist. There are those which will be given a chance to comply and those which will completely be unsalvageable because of the situation. Such premises will actually have their certificates cancelled. But for those that will not have their certificates cancelled, because there are certain areas where they can make changes, they will be given a chance to continue with their services. It is also important to note that the reason for this is that there have been serious criminal activities, for example, even within the educational centres. Especially now in the age terrorism, we have an educational centre that is being used to store guns or ammunition. This exposes children to danger. So, all these provisions will ensure that the safety of the child is given first consideration. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}