Letter

Centre is older

We read with interest the article Boys and girls come out to play (Monday Paper, 7 – 13 November, 2005) and were surprised to see that you have given the date of the founding of the UCT Educare Centre as 1980.

As two of the founders of the facility and parents of the first two children to attend the centre, we can assure you that it opened its doors in the winter of 1978, on the 1st June. We have attached two newspaper articles which were written in 1978.

While we commend your article, it was sad that you chose not to interview any of the parents, children or carers from the establishment of the facility, many of whom still live in Cape Town and would have been very easy to locate. It was established principally for the children of students and believe us, it was a very hard struggle to get the support that we needed to open the facility.

It would have been good to hear from one of the students whose life was made easier by its establishment as well as a staff member and to recall the dedication and hard work of the UCT Women's Movement who were the driving force behind its establishment, in partnership with an initially reluctant SRC, but who once converted to the idea provided space, cash and sometimes carers to this much needed centre.

Elizabeth Everett
Jeanne Carlin

Editor's response

We apologise for any misrepresentation of the date, which we did not know was under dispute. However, most of the article was taken up by an interview with a parent and former student, Dr Leanne Scott, a senior lecturer in statistical sciences, who managed to obtain her doctorate, thanks to support from the facility.