Mwango who lives in Katungulu in Chief Munkanta’s area of Kawambwa in Luapula Province says caterpillar catching a source of income and relish for his family. His whole family is engaged in the trade which he describes as tiresome but beneficial.
Like Mwango, the locals and their children in many parts of the province engage in caterpillar catching as a means of survival of their families.
This came to light when the Media Network for Child Rights and Development (MNCRD) embarked on a sensitisation campaign of the province with the hope of making the Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) policy more profound.
Unfortunately, this is done at the expense of education; particularly early childhood education which was introduced earlier this year.
Upon its ascendency to power, government pronounced that early childhood education should to be compulsory to all children irrespective of status and background. This was followed by the establishment of centres in all government schools countrywide.
The strategic sensitisation campaigns done by MNCRD were conducted in Mansa, Mwense, Samfya, Kawambwa, and Nchelenge districts. Luapula Province has one of the lowest access to early childhood education services at seven percent at national level.
It is hoped that with the introduction of early childhood education services in all government schools, this figure will rise. However, this policy is likely to suffer setbacks due to caterpillar-catching which is one of the main occupations of the locals in the province.
And that is why Luapula Province Education officer Smith Bweupe noted with concern that caterpillar-catching is likely to act as a hurdle to the ECCDE policy.
This is because most children in these areas normally abandon school in preference to catching caterpillars.
He further noted that even some parents leave their homes and take their small children with them to the bush in search of caterpillars.
“It is disheartening to see mothers with their babies and younger children strapped on their backs going into the bush to catch caterpillars. And this trend is common in October and November depending on the area,” he said.
However, Mr Bweupe was quick to say he has engaged district education board secretaries in the province to sensitise parents on the importance of not to engaging their children in the caterpillar catching business.
He said parents also needed to be sensitised on the importance of early childhood education.
“Caterpillars will always be there and that is why I am saying it is important that parents are made aware that children should not be sent to catch caterpillars at the expense of education,” he advised.
Meanwhile, Mr Bweupe said on average, the ECCDE policy is faring relatively well as there are 88 early childhood education centres in Mansa.
He also disclosed that for the policy to be succeed, the province requires over 1,000 teachers but Government only managed to send 100 with each district receiving ten.
“We were given 100 early childhood education teachers but only 100 were sent to Luapula Province and each district received 10, which is not good enough because the need is overwhelming,” he said.
The sensitisation campaign also saw Kawambwa District education board secretary Patrick Soko adding that the early childhood education policy had been well received by parents in the district.
Parents were particularly happy because they now have some where to leave their children as they carry on with their other duties.
He however, cautioned teachers against beating children and ensuring that they take good care of them in order to gain the trust and respect of parents.
“Parents should be able to entrust their children with teachers, knowing too well that the person I have left their children with is able to take proper care of them,”
“Once parents gain the trust of teachers then the ECCDE policy will be more effective,’ he noted.
And Provincial Education Standard Officer for Open and Long Distance Learning Julius Kabungo said the ECCDE policy can only be sustainable if there is political will. And parents should also be able to sustain the early childhood education programme.
He said communities should as also supplement Government efforts by raising money to pay teachers,” he said.
Early childhood education should not be a luxury meant only for those who can afford but even the vulnerable children should have access to it.
Like Mwango, the locals and their children in many parts of the province engage in caterpillar catching as a means of survival of their families.
This came to light when the Media Network for Child Rights and Development (MNCRD) embarked on a sensitisation campaign of the province with the hope of making the Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) policy more profound.
Unfortunately, this is done at the expense of education; particularly early childhood education which was introduced earlier this year.
Upon its ascendency to power, government pronounced that early childhood education should to be compulsory to all children irrespective of status and background. This was followed by the establishment of centres in all government schools countrywide.
The strategic sensitisation campaigns done by MNCRD were conducted in Mansa, Mwense, Samfya, Kawambwa, and Nchelenge districts. Luapula Province has one of the lowest access to early childhood education services at seven percent at national level.
It is hoped that with the introduction of early childhood education services in all government schools, this figure will rise. However, this policy is likely to suffer setbacks due to caterpillar-catching which is one of the main occupations of the locals in the province.
And that is why Luapula Province Education officer Smith Bweupe noted with concern that caterpillar-catching is likely to act as a hurdle to the ECCDE policy.
This is because most children in these areas normally abandon school in preference to catching caterpillars.
He further noted that even some parents leave their homes and take their small children with them to the bush in search of caterpillars.
“It is disheartening to see mothers with their babies and younger children strapped on their backs going into the bush to catch caterpillars. And this trend is common in October and November depending on the area,” he said.
However, Mr Bweupe was quick to say he has engaged district education board secretaries in the province to sensitise parents on the importance of not to engaging their children in the caterpillar catching business.
He said parents also needed to be sensitised on the importance of early childhood education.
“Caterpillars will always be there and that is why I am saying it is important that parents are made aware that children should not be sent to catch caterpillars at the expense of education,” he advised.
Meanwhile, Mr Bweupe said on average, the ECCDE policy is faring relatively well as there are 88 early childhood education centres in Mansa.
He also disclosed that for the policy to be succeed, the province requires over 1,000 teachers but Government only managed to send 100 with each district receiving ten.
“We were given 100 early childhood education teachers but only 100 were sent to Luapula Province and each district received 10, which is not good enough because the need is overwhelming,” he said.
The sensitisation campaign also saw Kawambwa District education board secretary Patrick Soko adding that the early childhood education policy had been well received by parents in the district.
Parents were particularly happy because they now have some where to leave their children as they carry on with their other duties.
He however, cautioned teachers against beating children and ensuring that they take good care of them in order to gain the trust and respect of parents.
“Parents should be able to entrust their children with teachers, knowing too well that the person I have left their children with is able to take proper care of them,”
“Once parents gain the trust of teachers then the ECCDE policy will be more effective,’ he noted.
And Provincial Education Standard Officer for Open and Long Distance Learning Julius Kabungo said the ECCDE policy can only be sustainable if there is political will. And parents should also be able to sustain the early childhood education programme.
He said communities should as also supplement Government efforts by raising money to pay teachers,” he said.
Early childhood education should not be a luxury meant only for those who can afford but even the vulnerable children should have access to it.
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