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The shift of the Early Childhood Centres (ECDs) from the Department of Social Department to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) was welcomed with open arms by many ECD practitioners and staff members early this year.
The move is set for 1 April 2022.
As the first step, the DBE in collaboration with the LEGO Foundation will collect data on the various ECD programmes via a national census.
This was explained in a media statement by the Department of Basic Education along with additional details regarding the amount of learning that was lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read: We speak to pre-school owners about their transition to DBE governance
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga explained that this national census is the first of its kind. It will highlight opportunities to broaden access to quality learning for every South African child.
She added that this would also establish a baseline for assessing the quality of learning through play in South Africa.
Motshekga believes that the lack of accurate ECD programmes and data systems is a key barrier to effective planning as ECDs move to the DBE.
"Information gathered from the census will be used to integrate ECD into the DBEs' Education Management Information System (EMIS), and thus expand the provision of education support programmes, as well as play-based learning," Motshekga said.
She encourages all registered and non-registered daycares and preschools to participate in this census, which has already started and will continue until December 2021.
Motshekga appeals to all ECD sites, owners, and practitioners to open their doors to the field workers collecting this data and to actively volunteer and participate in this census.
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