Child education advocate Cecilia Kapalamula has emphasised the importance of having more trained caretakers in Community-Based Childcare Centres (CBCCs), as they are equipped to develop engaging curricula that promote the cognitive, social, and physical development of children.
Kapalamula, who is the Programmes Manager at the Association of Early Childhood Development in Malawi, noted that untrained personnel lack basic classroom management skills, whereas trained caregivers can facilitate socialisation among children, teaching valuable skills like sharing, cooperation, and conflict resolution.
Her comments come as UNICEF Malawi reports that 50% of ECD caretakers lack standard ECD package skills, and the entire caregiving workforce at ECD centres works on a volunteer basis, impacting service quality and sustainability.
Malawi has over 12,000 preschools or CBCCs, staffed by about 35,000 non-salaried volunteers, according to the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare.
ECD centres cater to children aged 3-5 before they transition to primary schools.
By Alufisha Fischer
