Taung- The best early childhood development practitioner in the North West’s annual Early Childhood awards has been crowned will represent the province in the national awards to be held later this year.

Sophy Mogakwe (63) from Mothanthanyaneng village in Taung has been crowned the best early childhood development practitioner at the annual award ceremony held Mmabatho Convention Centre on Tuesday.

“I have always had a feeling of winning the competition one day. Today my dream has come true. It is the first time that entered early childhood development competition. I attribute this price to my supervisor at the centre, my long years of experience and the patience that I have exercised in this field,” Mogakwe said.

For 29 solid years Mokgakwe said she had run the operations of Ngwananeo Day Care centre which she said belonged to the community, and has a capacity to cater for 70 children.

Through all these year, they have depended on the contributions made by parents and a subsidy from government.

Her two counterparts Segametsi Mosala of Bull Rand day care  at Ganyesa and Lerato Moeng of Thoriso Educare at Meriting in Rustenburg won the second  price worth R3000 and third R2000 third price respectively.

Retha Serfontein from Potchefstroom whose Little Saints nursery school came up tops in the best centre category said she had always wanted to make the difference in the lives of children by instilling the love of God in them.

The second price worth R10 000 was awarded to Rotary early learning centre at Lonely Park in Mahikeng. Ditiro Pre-school from  Mamusa won third price to the value of R10 000 in the same category.

North West Social Development MEC Fenny Gaolaolwe said the ECD awards, as they commonly known in the social sector,  are a means to promote excellence, dedication and investment in the future of children by individual practitioners and various organisations involved in the early stages of child development.

She said the awards initiative has been taking place since 2003  and are held in partnership with the departments of Social Development, Education and Sports Development, the South African Congress of Early Childhood Development and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).”

“This year more than  765 entries were received from all districts in the North West. Last year only 600 entries were received. We hope to increase the number of participants in this competition so that the practitioners are motivated and learn new ways of operating early childhood development centres,” Gaolaolwe said.

-TDN

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