Without a proper shed or a playground, the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centre of Bangtsho chiwog in Dewathang is housed in an old abandoned hut.
Currently, the ECCD centre caters to 21 children. The centre started in March this year.
The parents have refurbished the hut. Tins are plastered on walls and cartons on the ceiling. Some of the parents say that ECCD centre is helping in the development of their children but they don’t feel safe with the condition of the centre.
“Without a proper house, I fear that some trees from the roof will fall and injure our children whenever it rains. With ECCD here our children knew how to talk and make new friends,” said Rinzin Lhamo. a parent in Dewathang.
The ECCD centre does not have a proper playground too.
“Bigger space is necessary while playing; it is quite risky for children right now, there is no proper fencing also. Our children have learned a lot. They catch up new things easily and learn many things,” added Tenzin Wangmo, also a parent in Dewathang.
Parents have to pay Nu 700 as a monthly rental to the landowner. Meanwhile, the deputy chief dzongkhag education officer Pema Tshering says they have kept Nu 0.5 M for the construction of a new ECCD and added that the Dewathang gewog administration will construct it.
According to Dewathang gewog administration, they are looking for a government land under the thromde area to construct it since all the government land under gewog administration is far from the settlement areas.
“Government land under gewog administration is far and if it is constructed there it won’t benefit anyone. Now the gewog and dzongkhag administration is discussing with thromde administration to procure a government land under the thromde area where it will benefit the public. So I hope we can construct a proper centre soon,” Leki Wangchuk, the Dewathang Gup, said.
Currently, for about 500 children in Samdrup Jongkhar dzongkhag, there are 31 ECCD centre.
