The ManicaPost
Fungayi Munyoro Post Correspondent
SIXTEEN children at Forward in Faith Children’s Home had an early Easter treat on Tuesday after receiving an assortment of clothing worth thousands from E-Learning ECD Centre.
The centre is run by Ms Juliana Chirwire, who is a qualified teacher-cum-businesswoman.
Ms Chirwire said they will continue reaching out to the needy in society.
“The festive season is all about giving and celebrating the gift of life in remembrance of the birth and death of Jesus Christ. Giving is not a sign that one is rich, but it is all about sharing whatever little one has with others.
“Our children donated clothing to the disadvantaged children at Forward in Faith Children’s home. This is an initiative where we teach ourselves to give to the needy children in our society.
“We will continue to help the needy with such initiatives. The clothes were donated by parents and it is difficult to verify the total amount of the clothes but we promise to do this on a regular base so that we put a smile on faces of the less privileged,” she said.
E-Learning ECD Centre is located at 115 Upper Third, Morningside, Mutare. The centre was established in 2014.
It is registered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
It’s aim is to provide holistic education from ECD to Grade Seven.
Its motto captures all: ‘Success is our priority’. The mission statement is equally captivating: ‘A child who reads will be an adult who thinks’.
Unlike others institutions in its league, E-Learning ECD Centre offers and exposes its pupils to an assortment of sporting activities.
Ms Chirwire said she came up with the idea to establish a school owing to her unfailing love of children.
“I just love children and it’s an in born thing. I am a holder of degree in ECD from Marymount Teachers College, out of which I the ideal to start my own school blossomed and was actualised,” she said.
She said the enrolment continues to swell due to good results the centre produces every year. The centre has an enrolment of 60 pupils compared to 49in 2017.
The centre employs three experienced female teachers. The pupils are divided into A1, A2 and 2B classes. A1 caters for three year-olds while A2 caters for the four year-olds. 2B class is for those above five years.
“We have three qualified teachers and we enrol children from all over Mutare. Our main language at the school is English, which makes it easier for our children to communicate with people from all walks of life. The pupils are taught several subjects that prepare them for Grade One,” said Ms Chirwire.
Sport
Sport is vital to the child’s development, and in that regard, the centre offers tennis on Tuesdays and swimming on Thursdays. Apart from sports, children are trained in drum majorettes.
Fees
The centre charges fair fees of $100 per month, $40 for groceries per term and $5 for sports. For kids who do not have their own transport pay between $20 and $30 per month. The transport money is determined by one’s location.
Lessons start at 7:30 am and end at 4pm.
Teacher-pupil ratio
The teacher-pupil ratio is 1:20. There are three teachers namely Chido Chipepera (ECD One), Cynthia Mhlanga (ECD 2A) and Shorai Matongo (ECD 2B). The majority of the children from E-Learning Centre are enrolled at Chancellor Primary School, where are excelling.
Consultation
The centre holds consultation, where parents are invited to the school for a one-on-one with the teachers at the end of every term. Every child at the centre has a compilation of his or her work kept in a file.
Meals
The centre offers breakfast at 10am and lunch at 12pm.
Their menu card is as follows — on Monday they serve pupils rice and beef, fruit and ice cream; Tuesday — mince, spaghetti, fruit and egg salad; Wednesday — chicken, chips and coleslaw salad; Thursday — sadza beans and fruits and Friday is a fun day where they serve variety of food including pizza, chips, ice cream and salads. Children are allowed to choose what they want to eat.
The school uniforms for both girls and boys are grey and white.
Ms Chirwire said they have plans to expand learning infrastructure to cater for more students.
“We will build more facilities soon to accommodate more students. We have plans to have Grade One and Two next year. We also intend to buy a school bus,” said Ms Chirwire.
