KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) is inviting Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora to consider donating to early-childhood institutions (ECIs) for Christmas.

ECC Chair, Trisha Williams-Singh, told JIS News that persons can donate to a government institution or “the institution that has made you the person you are today”.

Williams-Singh said donations in cash or kind can assist ECIs with attaining the 12 Standards for the Operation, Management and Administration of Early Childhood Institutions.

“Something like a fire extinguisher comes at a cost; it helps with the safety of the operations,” she said.

The standards are staffing; development and educational programmes, physical environment; interactions and relationships with children; indoor and outdoor equipment; health; nutrition; safety; child rights, child protection and equality; administration; finance; and parent and stakeholder participation.

“You can reach out to us and we can provide you with a status update of any institution. For example, if you attended New Forest Primary and Infant and you want to give back to the infant department, we can actually give you a list on the last audit that we had of this school to show what their needs are,” she advised, adding that such a report can be produced in 24 hours.

Persons interested in making donations may contact the ECC at 876-922-6938 or communications@ecc.gov.jm.

The ECC was established by the Early Childhood Commission Act (2003), in keeping with the Government of Jamaica’s strategic goal to improve the quality of early-childhood care, education and development.

An agency of the Ministry of Education and Youth, the Commission coordinates all activities, development plans and programmes within the early-childhood sector.

– JIS