Community involvement in the Early Childhood Development Programme

The Zimbabwean government launched a rural community based Early Childhood Development programme in 1982. This means that rural communities own the Early Childhood Development Centres. Communities are in charge of the day to day running of the centres. They are in charge of the payment of teachers` salaries. Communities have to fund raise to finance the programme. Resources for use by the centres are sourced by communities; these include books, crayons and other writing materials. Communities are in charge of nutrition gardens so that there is constant provision vegetables and other food items. Communities are also involved in toy production. Communities also construct playground equipment using local materials.