Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
THE MINISTRY of Education, Youth and Culture through the Early Childhood Commission is currently conducting pilot registration of early childhood facilities in the parishes of St. Catherine and Clarendon.
Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson made the disclosure in the House of Representatives on Tuesday while piloting the Early Childhood Regulations.
The minister said that this pilot registration should be completed by January of next year.
"What this (registration) will do is provide a template that will be used to register all institutions," she explained.
In addition, the minister said that the commission was developing a baseline data on all institutions, which she said was part of a national census of early childhood institutions to evaluate the extent of which they are in compliance of the Early Childhood Act.
She added that a corporate plan had been developed by the Commission, which indicates the things to be implemented by 2005- 2008.
On Tuesday, a regulatory framework to support the Early Childhood Act was approved by the Lower House.
The regulations speak to issues of training and the maintenance of records and reports in relation to changes to and developments in early childhood institutions.
"Regulation three speaks to the conduct of inspections and it says that premises will be inspected without notice, at least twice a year," said the minister.
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
The regulations also address children with disabilities and ensuring that they are provided with appropriate equipment and material to stimulate them and the development of a flexible daily programme for each institution.
Health and safety in early childhood institutions are also outlined in the regulations, where institutions are expected to take the necessary steps to ensure that fire fighting and safety equipment are inspected at least once annually and are kept in an easily accessible area.
Early Childhood facilities under the regulations will also have to ensure that health, sanitation, nutrition and disaster plans are in place for children and staff.
