1. Early Childhood Development
Presentation to the Portfolio Committee
07 May 2002
Marie-Louise Samuels

2. Overview What is ECD? What did we inherit?
What was Government’s response
Why policy?
Outline of the policy
Implementation plans
Responses to date
Challenges
Conclusion

3. What is ECD
Provision of physical, emotional, social, spiritual and moral development for children aged birth to nine years.
Birth - 6 years:
homes, centres
6 years:
homes, centres, schools
7-9:
Grade in schools

4. What did we inherit?
Incomplete, fragmented legislative and policy framework for ECD
uncoordinated, piece meal service delivery
limited access to ECD services
inequities in existing ECD provisioning
variable quality of ECD services

5. What was Government’s response
Government policies and programmes
Over 30 policies, programmes, legislation
National ECD pilot project
Tested models
Provided recommendations
“Make reception year core business”

6. Policy Development Moments
Pre-1994 documentation.
Education White Paper 1, 1995.
South African Schools Act, 1996.
Interim ECD policy, 1996.
National ECD Pilot Project
Final research report 2001.
Audit of ECD sites, 2000 (report 2001).
White Paper 5 on ECD, 2001.

7. Why Invest Now?
Opportunity for all children to grow up in dignity and equality.
Need to protect the rights of the child.
Optimal brain development.
Demonstrated model - Health nutrition, a safe environment and psychosocial and cognitive stimulation.
Education experiences in preschool years has a positive impact on school learning.
Economic argument.

8. Outline of Policy Proposals in White Paper
National, comprehensive, accredited pre-school reception year programme (grade R) for 5/6 year olds.
Provision for birth-5 year olds within NPA.
Curriculum,
Practitioner development and career pathing,
Norms and standards for all providers.
Special programmes for young learners.
HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases.
Poor.
Rural.
Special educational needs.

9. Three Models for Reception Year
Reception year as part of public provision within the public school system –
80% of provision - 800,000 places
subsidised
Reception year as part of public provision within selected community based centres
13% of provision - 135,000 places
Reception year as part of independent provision
7% of provision - 65,000 places
Not subsidised

10. Broad Implementation Plan for Reception Year
Complete development of policies and norms.
Revise resourcing strategy within public school system; Currently 200,000 funded places; ( ).
Phase in subsidised provision through selected community based centres, increasing by 135,000 funded places by (2004).
Expand subsidised provision within public school system on a poverty targeted basis to 800,000 ( ).

11. Responses Positive Negative Programmes for young children
No job security
Lack of consultation
Too little funding
Schools are “taking” all the children

12. Challenges Government to fulfill its mandate
Establishment of service delivery partnerships with business, NGO’s
Interdepartmental service delivery
Strengthening of organisations, structures at national and provincial level
Use access to public servants

13. Conclusion
“Today millions of children lead safer, healthier and fuller lives than they did a decade ago – before the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 and the World Summit for Children in The same can be said of the progress of millions of women since the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women in 1979.

14. Conclusion
And yet too many children and women still live outside the protection of society. Too many still see their rights abused or threatened.”
Kofi A. Annan: Secretary-General of the United Nations.

15. THANK YOU