Nutrition, Health and Safety in Early Childhood Development Programmes in Selected Harare Primary Schools in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This article investigates the nutrition, health and safety status in Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes and its impact thereof on the quality of care and education in Harare primary schools as perceived by the school heads, ECD teachers and parents. The study is part of a larger study on assessing the quality of ECD programmes in Harare primary schools in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research design based on three in-depth interview guides for ten ECD parents, school heads and ECD teachers was undertaken with 30 participants from ten primary schools. Data were content analysed following each sub-research question. The analysis included direct reports of the participants’ responses to in-depth interviews and tabulation of observation checklists. The study revealed that some schools failed to maintain their sanitary facilities, while others maintained them well. The study further highlighted that the ECD teachers did not have first aid skills. Various recommendations were suggested including compulsory acquisition of accreditation certificates of operation as per Statutory Instrument 106 of 200; and establishing quality nutritious ECD feeding programmes that promote a holistic development of ECD children.