Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called on all stakeholders across government, civil society, and the private sector to take bold and coordinated action to expand access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) across South Africa, particularly in underserved communities.
The Minister was giving a keynote address at the City of Cape Town’s ECD Indaba on Saturday.
Speaking to a chamber full of ECD practitioners, Gwarube emphasised the urgent need to address systemic inequities that continue to shape the future prospects of South Africa’s children from as early as birth.
“Two children may be born in the same country, but their chances of success diverge drastically, depending on their early years. We cannot allow a child’s destiny to be dictated by geography or birth circumstances,” the Minister said.
Citing international benchmark tests and national assessments that show eight out of 10 Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in any language, the Minister underscored that foundational learning deficits begin long before children enter the school system.
“The eight out of 10 statistic is not just about reading. It’s about whether a child will grasp the curriculum, remain in school, and ultimately build a life of dignity and opportunity. The only sustainable path to improved education outcomes is to intervene earlier and inject quality from the start,” she said.
Mass registration drive for ECD centres
The Minister also reflected on the department’s ‘Bana Pele’ (Children First) mass registration drive to support ECD centres in meeting registration requirements, especially those in rural, informal, and disadvantaged communities.
“Unregistered centres are often excluded from government subsidies, nutrition programmes, training opportunities and quality assurance support. This impacts the development and school readiness of vulnerable children,” she warned.
This as the department will work with communities and other government departments to address infrastructure and compliance challenges, with a special focus on under-resourced areas.
Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships in Grade R
With the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act now making Grade R compulsory, Gwarube acknowledged that no additional funding has yet been allocated to implement this mandate at scale.
“We therefore see continued collaboration with private ECD providers as not only desirable, but essential,” she said.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) will work to ensure standardisation across public and private Grade R provision by:
• Aligning curriculum and learning materials.
• Requiring appropriate qualifications and South African Council for Educators (SACE) registration for Grade R teachers.
• Expanding access to State-developed workbooks.
• Creating pathways for accredited private centres to deliver Grade R under BELA.
Language development
Recognising the importance of early language exposure, the Minister reaffirmed her department’s commitment to Mother-Tongue Based Bilingual Education (MTBBE) from early childhood through to the foundation phase.
“Eighty-five percent of brain development occurs before the age of three, and language exposure during this time is the strongest predictor of academic success.
“Our children must learn in the language they understand best while building bridges to other languages of learning. This is about cognition, comprehension, and confidence,” she said.
The department is currently piloting MTBBE programmes in several provinces, including teacher training and material development, and is encouraging ECD centres to adopt this evidence-based approach.
Call to action
Gwarube concluded her address with a call for collective urgency during this moment of transformation.
“We are at a moment of transformation. We have the policy, the evidence, and the partnerships. Now we must act. We must register ECD centres, standardise quality, expand infrastructure, and place the child — whether 10, three, or newborn — at the centre of every decision. That is how we build a nation from the ground up,” Gwarube said. – SAnews.gov.za
