Yangyel Lhaden 

The first community early childhood care and development (ECCD) centre in Thimphu thromde was inaugurated in Tshalumaphey yesterday. 

The centre built for children from low-income workers would open in March.

The centre is affiliated with Babesa Primary School, which would monitor the overall functioning of the centre, was built at a cost of Nu 6M. 

Thimphu Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said that education ministry prioritised early childhood education but people from the low-income group could not afford to send their children to private ECCD. 

 “The government ECCD is free and would only be for those who cannot afford to send their children to private ECCD,” the Thrompon said.

Tshalumaphey ECCD can accommodate about 60 children and would enrol children between  three and five years. 

It has two rooms for teaching, a napping room, large living room, and attached toilets with adequate space for an outdoor playground. 

A thromde official said that all the requirements of the ECCD would be in place before the ECCD opens.

Thromde officials said that the office was looking into the feasibility of constructing more such ECCDs. “We will first study how this one works and if it benefits people and if more is needed then we would work on it.”