“Therefore whoever ears these sayings . . . and does them, I will like him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
It may sound like a sermon from the Bible “but from this basic fact, lies a strong expression in education – early child development and education (ECDE),” says Naison Bhunhu, TRANAC lead, a dynamic collaboration and learning platform for transformative education in Africa.
Investing in children is not debatable – children represent the present and the future – our present and our tomorrow”.
Bhunhu, who is also the national coordinator for Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development Actors (ZINECDA), stresses that budgeting and committing resources for child rights contributes to future economic growth and national cohesion.
“From a regional view, as the Southern African Development Commission (SADC) I am worried that or education are declining and we need to halt and turn this around,” he emphasizes, urging regional legislators to strongly advocate and lobby for increases for ECDE programmes.
His was not a lone voice in the wilderness as Zimbabwe finds itself in the same boat with its Southern African neighbours, with policies present but without binding legislation.
Kgomotso Montsho, Regional Programmes Manager at Child Rights Network for Southern Africa (CRNSA) weighs in, saying child rights enforcement is weak “and what is needed is to make concerted efforts to increase resources for child protection”.
“And, hopefully as SADC, a draft model will be launched by the time we celebrate JUNE 16, THE Day of the African Child”.
ECDE is the foundation stone for the building the superstructure – “and as MPs, we are lobbying for more resources towards ECDE and even free education up to Grade 2,” says Torerai Moyo, the chair of the Zimbabwe Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary education,.
“It’s time we amplify voices on behalf of those we represent in the SADC region,” he says.
MPs need to not only lobby for increases in education and n but to also rig-fence ECDE budgetary allocation adds Parliament of Zimbabwe’s Budgetary Office director Pepukai Chivore.
“And all this needs to be within the framework of accountability, transparency and with the accent on efficiencies.”
And a house built on a solid foundation – “when the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock!”
What better articulation for early child development. Solid as a rock.
