The question the article answers is what now for the ECD Community where no party achieved an outright majority?
Marie-Louise SamuelsMarie-Louise Samuels, Director at Samuels Squared (Pty) Ltd.
YOU MADE YOUR MARK – NOW WHAT FOR ECD?
The recent elections ended in a stalemate, with no party securing a clear majority. As the dust settles, some commentators say the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) are considering joining forces to form a coalition government. This potential partnership offers an opportunity to transform South Africa’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector, but it also brings a unique set of challenges.
Both the ANC and DA have strong views on improving ECD services, which is promising for the future of our youngest citizens. The ECD Manifesto by the Real Reform for ECD Movement and the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) 2030 ECD Strategy highlight crucial areas for development:
· Holistic Care: Emphasises nutrition, healthcare, early learning, and safety for children.
· Inclusivity: Ensures ECD services are accessible to all children, including those with disabilities.
· Quality: Calls for high standards across ECD programmes.
· Infrastructure and Legal Reform: Advocates for easier registration and operation processes for ECD services.
· Professional Development: Highlights the need for better training, fair wages, and improved conditions for ECD workers.
· Funding and Subsidy Model: Proposes increased subsidies but lacks detailed financial planning.
On the other hand, the DBE’s 2030 ECD Strategy focuses on:
· Universal Access: Aims for all children to access quality ECD services.
· Funding: Proposes increased budget allocation and innovative funding models.
· Training and Workforce: Focuses on expanding and improving the ECD workforce.
· Integrated Services: Stresses the importance of integrating health, nutrition, and education services.
The major critique of the two documents is that they both do not address the fundamental issues that will transform ECD in South Africa. These issues include the following:
· A lack of clear definition of ECD.
· Subsidy model for funding still requires poor families to pay fees.
· The employment of skilled personnel for the ECD sector is not addressed.
· Previous ANC manifestos and the National Development Plan (NDP) commit to providing two years of compulsory education before Grade 1, not just universal access as proposed in the 2030 Strategy.
· The strategy does not fully commit government to funding ECD programmes to ensure equity and inclusivity, but rather is dependent on setting up public/private partnerships (PPPs) to fund programmes.
While the ANC and DA coalition holds promise, there is a need to consider the issues of ensuring compulsory education for two years before Grade R which will include employment of ECD practitioners, full programme funding by the Department of Basic Education, and clarity and consistency on the definition of Early Childhood Development.
Give our children the best start in life!
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