ECD sector gets R496m relief fund

EARLY Childhood Development (ECD) organisations hoped the government’s ECD Stimulus Relief Fund reached some of the poor and vulnerable in the sector.

As part of relief measures to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on ECD, the Department of Social Development has allocated R496 million to assist the sector. The budget allocation is part of sustaining and creating employment opportunities in the sector.

The department said the proposal focused on four inter-related policy imperatives including employment protection in the ECD sector, employment creation, containing the spread of Covid-19, and registration roll-out for ECD programmes.

The department said ECD centres would be better placed to survive the risk of permanent closure and would be able to cover financial costs, including the payment of employees’ salaries.

The funding was aimed at subsidising the cost of employment for ECD services. The value of the support provided would be a maximum of up to R4470 per staff member, made as a once-off payment. Applicants would be limited to up to four staff for ECD centres and one employee for non-centre-based ECD services that would be eligible for support.

Impande Foundation, an organisation that supports ECD centres with the process set out by the department, welcomed the fund. Spokesperson Brian Liggett said if it was not for the 700 ECD centres in existence in the Ugu District Municipality and the Bizana area in Eastern Cape, there would be no ECD services for the majority of children.

“It is the first time that government opened up access to support. We mobilised to assist ECD in applying. They are on the radar and database of future government initiatives,” Liggett said.

“We want to see a fair start in life for children aged 0 to 5 years in marginalised communities. Despite their importance, these centres remain unknown and significantly under-resourced,” Liggett said.