Affordable education: New early childhood development centre opens in Parkwood

Ukukhulisa Development officially opened its newest early childhood development (ECD) centre at Masjidul Sabr, on the corner of Blackbird and Walmer Roads, Parkwood, on Thursday June 26.

The Parkwood ECD Centre aims to provide quality education delivered by qualified teachers at a minimal cost, making early childhood education affordable and accessible to parents who might otherwise not be able to send their children to school.

Rushni Allie, secretary of the executive board, said: “It offers a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for young learners to grow academically, emotionally, and socially – right in their own community. Although the school is situated at the mosque, we accommodate children of all faiths.”

Ms Allie said the opening of the Parkwood ECD marks another milestone in Ukukhulisa’s 10-year journey of community upliftment.

“Ukukhulisa Development is a registered non-profit and public benefit organisation, established in 2015,” Ms Allie said. “We are dedicated to creating access to early learning, development, and social support in underserved communities. The name Ukukhulisa means ‘to grow and develop’ in isiXhosa – a reflection of our mission to nurture the potential of every child and empower families.”

The Parkwood centre joins Ukukhulisa’s existing ECDs in Makhaza (Khayelitsha), Belgravia (serving the Vlei community), Flamingo Informal Settlement, Marikana (Philippi), and Lower Crossroads – all located in areas grappling with high levels of poverty, unemployment, crime, drug abuse, and gender-based violence.

The Parkwood centre employed six staff members from the area, including principal Ruwayda Majiet, assistant principal, teacher, and cook, and was ready to welcome the children. “We’ve been working hard setting up the classrooms over the past few weeks,” said Ms Majiet.

Ukukhulisa Development’s vision extends beyond early learning. The organisation also runs skills development programmes for unemployed parents as part of a holistic approach to breaking cycles of poverty and creating opportunities for long-term growth and stability.

Some parents who have been taking part in these skills development programmes have since been employed by Ukukhulisa to assist with teaching, cooking, and cleaning at its facilities, said Osman Sahib, chairperson of Ukukhulisa.

Mr Sahib added: “Parents faced with socio-economic and domestic violence will be assisted by life coaches and social workers.”

“Our goal is not just to educate, but to uplift entire communities,” said Mr Sahib. “We believe every child deserves a strong start in life, and that begins with care, love, and access to learning within their own neighbourhood.”

“We noticed a gap in the education system where we found that there were many children who were not attending any formal educational institutions. “Statistics show that there are 1.5 million children between the ages of 3 and 6, in South Africa, are without formal education.”

Ukukhulisa makes sure that children have easy access to an educational institute. Children do not have to travel long hours to get to school. “The centre will prioritise children from Parkwood and surrounding areas, focusing on ages 3 to 6,” said Mr Sahib. 

“The organisation is led by a committed board of skilled professionals who serve voluntarily, bringing expertise from various sectors to guide its mission and ensure good governance and sustainability,” said Mr Sahib.

For more information, contact Mr Sahib at 082 907 0481.