On Monday, some of the Da Nang leaders and representatives from the municipal Women’s Union discussed ways to implement the central government’s project for supporting private day-care centres for children in industrial parks (IPs) and export processing zones.

According to the latest report released by the Union, there are now a total of 63 private day-care centres located in residential areas in the districts of Son Tra, Lien Chieu, Cam Le and Hoa Vang.  Half of the children being cared for at these establishments are children of workers at the local IPs and export processing zones. 

Children at a local private day-care centre

In reality, these centres have yet to meet the city’s hygiene and safety regulations, and there are risks of adversely affecting the mental and physical development of the children.  The quality of their educational programmes for children is not up to standard because there is a shortage of skilled carers.  In particular, these establishments are now in desperate need of learning tools, classroom posters and toys for children.  Also their kitchens and toilet facilities need upgrading as soon as possible.

Municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Dang Viet Dung said that there is an increasing demand for childcare services amongst workers at local IPs and export processing zones.  Therefore, it is necessary to support the local private day-care centres in order for them to give better care for their children.

This year, 600 million VND from the city budget will go to 20 local private day-care centres to help them purchase more equipment and upgrade their existing facilities.

From next year until 2020, over 11 billion VND from the city budget will also be spent on providing more intensive training courses about food hygiene and safety for the owners of local private day-care homes and to improve the professional skills of the carers.

Vice Chairman Dung stressed the need to also build pre-schools and kindergartens for children of workers either at local IPs and export processing zones or at locations nearby in the near future.