Africa-Press – Eswatini. Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo received a toy library valued at E100 000 on behalf of the Msunduza early childhood care centre yesterday.
The toy library was funded through a study that explored safe, inclusive and participatory learning methods in early childhood care by researchers from the University of Eswatini (UNESWA).
This was revealed by Abahle Thwala a university librarian who was speaking on behalf of the UNESWA and the University of Edinburgh; the sponsors of the library.
“It was during the research that the need for toys in all the pre-schools at Msunduza was huge. I have been informed that the cost of the materials for the toy library was E100 000. We want to thank the funder, the United Kingdom Research and Innovation who have funded the research and the library,” Thwala said.
He further appreciated the University of Edinburgh who chose to research with Eswatini when they could have chosen many other countries.
“We know that children have the right to relax, play and join in a wide range of leisure activities. As UNESWA, we hope that the Toy Library will contribute in this right as children will have the opportunity to explore, create, innovate and learn while also playing,” Thwala added.
He also thanked the minister for finding time in his busy schedule to receive the library on behalf of the care centre.
Speaking at the toy library handover, Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo thanked the ministry’s officials for showing him support since he resumed his duties as minister.
He stated that they welcomed him with warm hands which showed that they would work together effortlessly to improve in the quality of education in the country. He said when team members collaborate with each other things becomes easy and successful.
“We have the ministry of education, UNESWA, Mbabane city mayor amongst us today and when we meet in such instances, His Majesty King Mswati III is impressed,” he said.
Nxumalo added that if a child grows up doing things practical, they learn better. He further thanked the sponsors and the community for working together in achieving one goal which is the innovation of the care centre.
“We have to work together as parliamentarians so that the submissions of the people are achieved. We have to work together and not fight against each other because we are all equal and we want to achieve the same goals,” he said.
The minister then presented the preschool director a token of appreciation for the job she had done in making sure that the children were well taken care of.
Meanwhile, Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini assured that the ministry of education and training would achieve a lot under the leadership of Nxumalo. “We have a minister of education who gets things done and when you want things to happen you have to be street smart which is one attribute that Nxumalo has,” he said.
He further asked the minister not to forget the people of Msunduza when developing communities through education.
He also said he was still going to come back to the people of Mbabane East like he had promised when he was canvasing for their votes.
“The children have been built something beautiful which shows that when the sponsors were practical and not theoretical when they funded the contruction of the library,” he said.
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