SABA:--- A small delegation of the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) from St. Maarten visited Saba on Wednesday, October 26, in advance of the Social Pedagogic Work (SPW) level 3 studies that the institute will help facilitate for six daycare and afterschool care employees.
Four employees of the Laura Linzey Daycare Center and two employees of the Boys and Girls Sports Society afterschool care will be starting the 1 to 1.5-year education in early November this year. Classes will be at the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) on behalf of the NIPA three evenings per week and taught by teacher Floyd Pryce who also facilitated the Caribbean Vocational Quality (CVQ) childcare training for employees of the daycare, afterschool care, and the Sacred Heart School (SHS). NIPA will provide the study material.
The SPW level 3 education is a joint initiative of Saba, St. Eustatius, and NIPA, and is funded by the BES(t)4kids program to further improve the quality of childcare in the Caribbean Netherlands. NIPA Adjunct Director Damali Bryson and NIPA instructor Alisha Brooks visited the daycare and afterschool care facilities on Wednesday to look at the learning environment, and they were impressed with the facilities, said Policy Advisor education/Project leader BES(t)4kids Rosalyn Johnson.
Laura Linzey Daycare Manager Tessa Alexander explained that the SPW level 3 education will provide the participants with a higher and more in-depth understanding of child development, methodical and best practices. They will also be able to complete more efficient lessons and activity planning which also stimulates and maps a child’s development.
Daycare and afterschool care employees already meet the basic requirements for childcare with the completion of the CVQ 2-level training. “With the CVQ 2 training and the SPW level 3 education, we will create a good group dynamic for optimal learning, planning, and execution to meet the holistic needs of our children,” said Alexander.
