The prime minister's wife and vice president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, Dr Zubaida Rahman, on Monday said that day-care centres are not just places to keep children safe but are also important instruments in building the country’s future.
She said, “Due to the lack of quality day care centres, working mothers and their children are facing multiple obstacles.”
Dr Zubaida Rahman made the remarks while speaking at a workshop titled “Primary Care and Blooming of Children” as the chief guest held at the Multipurpose Hall of the Pani Bhavan of the city.
The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs organised the workshop.
Social Welfare and Women and Children's Affairs Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain presided over the event, while Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad and State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin spoke as the special guests.
Earlier, Dr Zubaida Rahman visited Government Children Family (Girl) in Tejgaon at 10:30 am, the Children Day-care centre of Bhumi Bhaban at 11 am and the Children Day-care centre of Pani Bhaban at 11:30 am.
Dr Zubaida Rahman said, "50.58 per cent of Bangladesh’s total population are women, and 28.36 per cent of the total population are between the ages of 0 and 14 years.”
Highlighting the necessity of day-care centres for working mothers, she recalled an experience from her school life and urged increasing the activities of the children's day-care centres.
Mentioning the present situation of the day care centres, she stated, “Although the situation has improved somewhat, many working mothers still worry about childcare. Although 123 Child Development Centers provide care for 7,360 children, it is only sufficient for 0.34 per cent of the total child population.”
“As a result, many children are deprived of essential early childhood development activities, playing with peers, and opportunities to grow up healthily,” she added.
Dr Zubaida Rahman further said that quality and universal pre-primary education and early childhood development will build a strong foundation for children’s cognitive and social development.
Expressing gratitude towards the carers at daycare centres, she continued, “Due to their humane and difficult responsibilities, numerous working mothers can work without worry, and children get the opportunity to grow up in a safe environment.”
She added that childhood is the most important period of life. “During this time, the foundations of honesty, dedication, peace, education, culture, humanity, tolerance, discipline, curiosity, perseverance, and mutual respect are built,” said Dr Zubaida.
In this connection, she further added that carers are simultaneously performing the important duty of building the foundation for the country’s future generation and creating opportunities for a large population of women to participate in the workforce.
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