2008 has begun well for Vinsave and for the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Sector in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Forty young women enrolled in a programme of training at the Vinsave Child Development Training Centre on Monday, January 7.{{more}}

The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, through the European Union, in its effort to improve the quality and access of ECE programmes, has provided financial support to the training. UNESCO has also provided support for ten of the forty candidates. The candidates will write Levels I and II Examinations of the National Council on Technical Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET), Jamaica. Vinsave is also in the process of having its training programme accredited with NCTVET, and will soon be able to offer an accredited training programme for Early Childhood Practitioners.

Monday’s launch of the programme heard addresses from Chester James – Project Manager of EDF Projects/AOSFA 2003, Ministry of Education, who gave an update of the various projects in ECE that Government is involved in. He also encouraged participants to be vigilant and committed; Susan Dougan, Chief Education Officer – who spoke from the Ministry’s perspective, gave some pointers to some of the skills the candidates should seek to develop. Addresses also came from the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vinsave – Bernard Joseph; and Executive Director Janice Fraser, who spoke on the achievements of Vinsave in the area of ECE.

The courses will run for six months and 1 year, respectively. Save the Children Fund (Cansave/Vinsave) has been training pre-school and daycare providers across the Caribbean region for over 40 years.