ECD function now officially part of Education Department
This was announced during a joint meeting of the portfolio committees on Social Development and Education and the Standing Committee on Public Participation and Petitions held at the Parliamentary Village in the city last Tuesday.
POLOKWANE – The Early Childhood Development (ECD) function in the province was finally transferred from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Education (DOE) with effect from April 1.
The transfer of the function follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement during the 2019 Sona and confirmed in the province’s 2019/20 budget speech, when the MEC for Social Development stated that the department was working together with the national departments of Social Development and Basic Education (DBE) in developing a comprehensive plan to migrate children between four and five years who are in Gr R and Gr RR.
Updates were given to the Committee on Progress, including that the ECD function shift action plan with nine working streams was developed to guide the whole process and the challenges that were reported were the delays in the signing of proclamations, which were eventually signed.
According to the report, 62 social workers and 10 administrative officers who are stationed across ten districts were transferred from the DSD to the DBE, effective from April 1. Among the transferred employees two social work supervisors, three quantity surveyors and two administrative officials stationed at head office were also transferred. The funds transferred for the posts outlined in the Human Resource Activity Plan amount to R31 273 881.
The transferees were subjected to an intensive consultative process prior to joining the Limpopo DOE and were orientated on April 1. They will receive further training under the guidance of their supervisors during the 2022/23 financial year.
A list of 71 ECD centres that are scheduled for maintenance have been provided to the DOE and the construction funds will come from the maintenance budget that has been confirmed with the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure for implementation. A data list for ECD centres constructed by partners and ECDs on private land have also been provided to the Department of Education.
