Most early childhood centres breaching law
May 28, 2008
The Government has allocated $200 million to assist early childhood institutions that are in danger of closure because they have breached public health and safety guidelines.
The passage of the Early Childhood Act and Regulations (2005) established legal framework and standards by which the operations of early childhood institutions in Jamaica are governed. The first requirement of the act was that all such schools apply for registration by February of this year.
Standardising schools
Speaking last Tuesday during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate, Andrew Holness, minister of education, said the Government also secured the cooperation of the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund to improve so-called basic schools which were found to be operating below the standards of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).
Holness said letters were now being sent out to institutions that have not applied and those with incomplete applications.
He said the definition of 'complete application' includes approval by the public health and fire departments and clean police records for all staff. Holness said almost 400 early childhood institutions have met these stringent requirements. The main basis of incomplete applications, he said, were missing police records, public health reports, food handler's permits and fire-safety certificates....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
