By Ndalimpinga Iita
WINDHOEK, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Germana Shaningwa, principal of Kid Care College, an early childhood development center in Goreangab informal settlement in the Namibian capital Windhoek, has been preparing worksheets.
The child-friendly sheets form part of the learning tools distributed to parents whose children were enrolled at the center.
"Once done, parents return the worksheets and get a new one to ensure continued learning at home," Shaningwa said Thursday.
With the formal education at a halt countrywide, early childhood development centers in Namibia are adopting a home-based approach to ramp up stimulation and learning of children under the age of five amid COVID-19.
The education and gender ministries closed all schools and early childhood development centers since March this year to curb the spread COVID-19. This came after Namibian President declared a state of emergency and subsequent lockdown.
This has since impacted the early learning and development of children under the age of five in Namibia.
The home-based program, spearheaded by the Namibian government, with European Union in Namibia and The United Nations Children's Fund, provides support and guidance to parents on how to engage children under the age of five in stimulating activities at home during the lockdown period.
The aim, said Sonja Godinho, senior education program manager at European Union, is to address early childhood development challenges and meet health priorities in the battle against COVID-19.
"The aim is for impactful learning to be enforced at home where it is deemed safe at the moment," Godinho said.
The approach is critical in preparing children, not only for academic progression but also for their lifelong learning and well-being in life.
According to Shaningwa, the sheets are also inclusive of the information on COVID-19, customized to age-appropriate content for children.
"This is achieved through coloring, images and play," Shaningwa said.
In addition, the program has also been instrumental in ensuring education provision, catering to the nutritional needs of poor households.
Hilma Weber, a project coordinator at a non-governmental organization, Development Workshop in Namibia, an implementing partner, said that the project has also seen the distribution of various services and products.
"To address nutritional deficiencies, we also distribute food parcels and other essential household goods. We know that children learn and develop better cognitively when they are well-nourished," said Weber.
That is not all. Emotional support is also considered. Martha Mbombo, deputy executive director in the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, said that government has decentralized social work services to support the Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers and education carers.
Meanwhile, parents are appreciative of the programs, seeing their children learn amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
For Selma Elias, home-based learning has not only provided activities for children but also enabled her to bond with her children,
Furthermore, she was also able to create a new routine for the child.
"Knowing how they can take care in a small way puts me at ease," said Elias.
Moreover, the home-based program also presents an opportunity for parents to help children overcome fear and build their resilience, according to Godinho.
In the interim, the European Union said it would provide financial support to Namibia to fight the pandemic.
"As part of an ongoing program in support of education, with UNICEF as the implementing partner, contingency reserves of 7.2 million Namibian dollars (about 400,000 U.S. dollars) would be used to support children and their families, specifically those in communities that are hardest hit by the COVID-19 lockdown," read a joint statement.
The aid is expected to reach approximately 350 ECD centers with an estimated 15,000 children registered. Enditem
