Department of Basic Education in partnership with the LEGO Foundation reveals findings of ECD Census
Minister said the migration of the ECD sector to the Department of Basic Education will help them get basics right.
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, in partnership with LEGO Foundation, unveiled the findings of the 2021 ECD Census on May 13 in Fourways.
Last year, the department commissioned a census to collect data on all Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes across the country.
Over 40 000 ECDs and playgroups, registered and unregistered, were counted during the census.
Motshekga said results revealed that there is a need for considerable expansion of ECD programmes, training of practitioners as well as the need for a better allocation of funds.
She said the collected data will help the department plan and channel its resources in the right places as it takes over ECDs that recently migrated from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education.
“Early childhood development is the foundation for cognitive development by its very nature. We are indeed proud of the success and insights gathered through the first ECD Census supported by the LEGO Foundation.
“While significant progress has been made in terms of provision for better ECD programmes since 1994, the sector still faces challenges, including those related to infrastructure, quality of the programmes offered, practitioners’ qualifications and training, as well as institutional capacity and funding.”
Motshekga added that her department has been for a long time calling for the ECD sector to be migrated to the Department of Education to get the basics right.
“I’m happy that the sector has finally migrated to our department. I believe that this will help us get good results at the end of the day.”
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