10 day care centres receive $200,000 grants to boost early learning services

Ten day care operators from across Guyana have received $200,000 grants each to improve their facilities as part of efforts to strengthen early childhood care and learning services nationwide.

The grants were presented on Wednesday by Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud during the second National Early Childhood Development Conference held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

The funding was provided under the Childcare and Protection Agency’s (CPA) Enhancement of Childcare and Early Learning Facilities initiative, which aims to help day care centres upgrade their operations and become Centres of Excellence.

The recipients, drawn from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10, will use the funds to purchase equipment, furniture, toys and other resources needed to improve learning environments for children.

Owner of Rainbow Daycare, Munirah Reedon, said the grant will assist her facility in acquiring items needed to support its development.

“I think it is very beneficial. It will help schools, especially mine, because we are trying to build an exceptional learning centre, and with this grant we will be able to purchase some of the things we do not have,” she said in an interview with the Department of Pubic Information (DPI).

Meanwhile, Abiola Walls, owner of Heavenly Sunlight Daycare, said the funds will be used to replace damaged items and purchase additional resources for the centre.

“I am very grateful, and my school will benefit tremendously from it,” she said.

The proprietor of the Fraser Foundation, Onica Peters-Fraser, described the initiative as an investment in improving childcare services.

“I feel that the governing body has our interest at heart, and I can assure you it is going to go towards making our centre a whole lot more child-friendly,” she said.

Junice Welcome, owner of Kiddies Treasure, also welcomed the support, noting that the initiative will assist day care operators in meeting their needs.

The Government’s efforts to improve childcare services also include a childcare subsidy programme, which provides financial support to parents whose children are enrolled in registered and licensed childcare facilities. To date, 460 parents have benefited from $25 million in assistance under the programme.

Persaud said the Government has so far licensed 352 childcare facilities and registered 376 centres nationwide to ensure they meet required standards.

Guyana currently has 25 Centres of Excellence, while 100 day care operators have collectively received $10 million in grants to improve their facilities.