New management but ECD centres ‘will go on as usual’
Industry players laud move
With seven weeks left before the Department of Education (DBE) takes over the management of early childhood development (ECD) centres from the Department of Social Development, the fog is lifting on what the move will mean for the sector.
It would be business as usual come April 1, when the transfer is fully completed, said the department.
“The DBE will be taking over the responsibility of the
ECD sector from the Department of Social Development. It means that ECD will continue to be provided in ECD centres; that ECD centres will still be owned by the ECD providers; and that the ECD providers will still be responsible for the employment of practitioners,” said spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.
He said the function shift was “essentially the changing of responsibility” between the Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu and the DBE Minister Angie Motshekga.
Though there were still major challenges facing the sector, Monica Stach, the chairperson of the National Early Childhood Development Alliance, said she was encouraged by attempts by the DBE to create opportunities for dialogue with stakeholders.
“From early dialogues [conducted by the alliance], there was a lot of concern that the Department of Basic Education would take over privately owned ECD centres,” she said.
She said through the networks and dialogues, some of which were hosted by the National Education Collaboration Trust on behalf of the DBE, clarity had been provided to the sector, including to ECD practitioners. The alliance comprises nonfor-profit organisations and sector experts. It provides resources and capacity building for the ECD sector.
Stach’s optimism is not shared by professor Eric Atmore, the director of the Centre for Early Childhood Development. “The challenges relate to the capacity of DBE to successfully implement the transition of some 32 000 ECD centres with 2.3-million children and around 180 000 ECD teachers under its control.
“A major challenge is going to be ensuring that the DBE has the political will to prioritise ECD, and this includes providing sufficient funding to enable ECD centres to function optimally,” he said.
“The uncertainties relate to how ECD will be incorporated into the provincial departments of education, whether they are ready to accept the transition and whether ECD will be given the priority that is necessary and as set out in the National Integrated ECD Policy of 2015.”