The department of basic education (DBE) says it has trained 2,670 early childhood development (ECD) practitioners in the 2024/2025 financial year on the national curriculum framework (NCF) for children aged birth to four.
It said this is part of efforts to strengthen foundational learning across the country.
Responding to a parliamentary question from MP Delmaine Chelsey Christians, the department revealed it has significantly scaled up training since the ECD function shift from the department of social development to basic education in April 2022.
In addition to the 2,670 practitioners trained in 2024/2025, the department said:
- 20,027 were trained in 2023/24;
- 11,681 in 2022/23;
- 930 in 2021/22;
- 1,752 in 2020/21; and
- 14,008 in 2019/20.
Regarding qualifications aligned to the national qualifications framework (NQF) level 4, the department reported training:
- 2,374 practitioners this year;
- 3,140 trained in 2023/24;
- 1,345 in 2022/23;
- 3,239 in 2021/22; and
- 4,905 in 2019/20.
The 2020/21 year saw no training due to Covid-related disruptions.
“Since the ECD function shift in April 2022, the department of basic education and provincial education departments have prioritised the professional development of ECD practitioners to improve the quality of foundational learning,” it said.
“The department has supported training on the NCF for children from birth to four years and access to qualifications aligned to the NQF level 4.”
Though provincial data is not yet available, the department said updated quarter 1 reports from provincial departments should be expected at the end of July as that will provide targets for the 2025/26 financial year.
“Training efforts are directly aligned with the minister’s commitment to expanding access to quality early childhood development as one of the five strategic priorities of the administration,” the department said.
It said the efforts are being supported by new curriculum implementation tools such as daily activity plans and integrated learning and teaching support materials.
The department said practitioners are selected for training by the provincial education departments, which focus on the most vulnerable communities. Only conditionally registered programmes are eligible to ensure oversight and accountability.
“To reach informal or unregistered practitioners the department is scaling up the Bana Pele mass registration drive which aims to ensure all ECD programmes, specially in underserved areas, are brought under provincial oversight and can benefit from state-funded support and training initiatives.”
The department revealed it is finalising a human resource development strategy for ECD to professionalise the sector through clear training pathways, qualifications and continuous professional development structures.
“The minister and the department remain committed to ensuring every child has access to a qualified practitioner and a curriculum-rich early learning environment. Improving the quality and reach of ECD is central to ensuring children who enter Grade 1 are cognitively, emotionally and physically ready to learn, and forms the foundation of a more equitable and effective basic education system.”
This year finance minister Enoch Godongwana announced an additional R10bn investment in ECD over the next three years.
The funding will raise the daily subsidy from R17 to R24 per child and is expected to increase access for about 700,000 more children up to the age of four.
Speaking at the Bana Pele (Children First) summit in March, President Cyril Ramaphosa reinforced government's commitment to early learning.
“As South Africans we have a clear goal for all our children, access to quality learning opportunities for an additional 1.3-million children by 2030. I think it’s possible,” he said.
Investment in ECD provides substantial returns, he added..
“Studies have shown every rand spent on ECD can save up to R7 in future costs associated with remedial education, social services and criminal justice.
“ECD is critical for developing foundational skills such as language, literacy and numeracy,” he said, citing a study that estimated an investment of 2.1% of GDP in universal childcare could enable 10.5-million women to join the workforce over three years.
Ramaphosa also addressed the literacy crisis, pointing to data that shows 80% of grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning.
TimesLIVE
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