South Africa prepares unified procedure for registering early learning programmes — TimesLIVE
In South Africa, the Department of Basic Education is working on introducing a unified procedure for registering early learning programmes. The initiative is part of the Bana Pele plan, which envisages enrolling another 1.2 million children in quality early learning programmes by 2030. TimesLIVE reports.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said that the current procedure is too complicated for service providers. Registering one programme requires the involvement of a social worker, an environmental health practitioner, a municipality and a provincial department. According to her, departments and municipalities must align their requirements and help applicants meet them.
Access to subsidies
Registration or conditional registration with the Department of Basic Education is a requirement for access to a daily state subsidy of 24 rand per child. The funds are intended to cover programme operating costs and the purchase of learning materials. Last October, the amount was increased from 17 to 24 rand.
To receive the subsidy, programmes must first pass the bronze status stage and then obtain silver or gold status. This requires additional documents and compliance checks. From January to September, 1,343 programmes received silver or gold approval.
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It is estimated that about 1 million children aged three to five in South Africa do not attend early learning programmes. Gwarube said that nearly 40,000 such programmes are registered in the country, serving 1.6 million children.
Registration problems
In Gauteng province, according to Education MEC Lebogang Maile, approximately 5,900 programmes remain unregistered. He cited zoning requirements, fire and food safety requirements, as well as unstable water and electricity supplies in informal settlements among the obstacles.
Early Learning Resource Unit Executive Director Tracey Fortune stressed that access to early learning is linked to a sustainable funding model. The Bana Pele plan also provides for modernising state systems, digitising key functions and improving children's developmental outcomes: the share of children rated “on track” in the Thrive by Five Index is to rise from 46% in 2024 to 51% in 2030.
