The Bethlehem pilot nursery school was founded in June 1979 , the International Year of the Child, by Miss France Boyer de la Giroday, a social worker emeritus who had progressive views on the advancement of small children.
Industrialization was in full swing, mothers were working in factories and older children were obliged to stay at home to care for younger brothers and sisters… and thus, Bethlehem began.
At this period Bethlehem welcomed poor children from the area of Tranquebar and the City of Port-louis provided the working budget. Twenty children were admitted between the ages of three months and one and a half years. The first year was a success at the level of work organization for good child development as well as at the level of work guiding parents to become aware of their educating role in the life of their children.
Unfortunately, after this positive experience, the mayor indicated his intention of no longer allocating funds for Bethlehem. What was to be done to continue this work which was devoted not only to the cause of poor children but also to training child care assistants to look after children in nurseries ?
So, Bethlehem had to turn to the parents who could pay, and some poor children still continued to come.
Since 1979, Bethlehem has been working in close collaboration with the ministry which, at the time, was known as the Ministry of Women's Affairs
In 1982, when the Ministry for Women, the Family and the Well-being of the Child created its unit for early childhood, the Bethlehem nursery was asked to collaborate in the emergence of this sector.
In 1990, the Ministry decided to make a survey of existing nurseries and child-care centers in order to render this service more informal and effective by improving the quality of care provided to the very young. Based on its experience, the Bethlehem nursery supported the ministry by working together with it in visiting the child-care centers and in seeking to learn what needs were felt by those in charge.
In analysis, this survey was very positive because the assistants showed their interest in improving their service for the well-being of the young child, which was the basis for setting up a training session run by the ministry wherein Bethlehem also participated.
The Ministry followed this up with another training series in 1994; this time the course was aimed at the directors. With the same motivating force, Bethlehem responded favorably to the call from the Ministry and carried out this training.
Concerned with the importance of evolution in young children, in 1996 the Ministry started the course "Early Childhood Development" for future trainers. Two trainers from Bethlehem were members of the team of "Core trainers". With the educational approach of the "Experiential and Participatory method", 27 nursery assistants and directors of nurseries/child care centers from different organizations participated in this training which showed itself to be very positive in its specific efforts.
1998 saw the realization :
- of a training manual for teachers
- of a practical guide for small children 0-3 years of age
- and of a guide for the training of parents.
The Bethlehem nursery is very proud to have made its contribution to the Ministry for Women, the Family and the Well-being of the Child for the quality of service and care provided in the nursery for the positive opening up and healthy development of the young child.
The Bethlehem nursery is renewing its devotion to supporting the ministry in its activities and approaches.
In Mauritius which is in a period of complete social and economic change, the development of salaried work for women outside the home has had a rapid expansion and today raises the crucial problem of caring for small children.