Graduation Bliss Transdisciplinary Certificate in ECD
Faculty of education celebrated its first batch of graduates for the transdisciplinary certificate in Early Childhood Development (ECD), a partnership between the University of Fort Hare and Wheelock College from Boston in the United States. The ceremony was held at the Mirriam Makheba Perfoming Arts Center on the 25th of May. Wheelock College offers undergraduate and graduate programs that focus on the art and science, education and child life, social work and family studies to assist families to fulfil the improvement of their lives with children and families.
The partnership is as a result of identifying family dynamics which are constantly changing with increased need for social problems that are affecting more people daily. ECD centre of excellence is trying to minimise all these issues by generating a profession which deals with these issues. Departments like Social Development, Department of Basic education, National Development Agency, Office of the Premier, Programme to Support pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD), ELMA Foundation and ECD Transdisciplinary Group have all partnered for the success of those graduating and the achievement of their profession.
Prof Lessing from the Wheelock College from Boston said “We have come a long way to be where we are today. The journey has been long (started 2012) and full of challenges but exciting”. The idea of ECD within the faculty is to extend the academic projects which address the challenges in early childhood services. Generally it is known that a large number of children in South Africa remain excluded from public support system aimed at supporting their education and care in a number of areas such as health, nutrition and social wellbeing. Through this initiative ECD is trying to bridge that gap.