UVUME iphutha abalenza benguhulumeni uMengameli Cyril Ramaphosa, lokuthi bangayibeki eqhulwini eyokugxila nasekuthuthukiseni i-Early Childhood Development (ECD), emfundweni yakuleli njengoba kubathathe cishe iminyaka engu-30 ukwenza lokhu.

URamaphosa uthe ukube baqala eminyakeni engu-30 edlule ngabe izingane zakuleli zikude kakhulu kwezithinta amakhono.

"Ngingowokuqala ukuvuma uma senze iphutha, ngiyavuma ukuthi senza iphutha ngokuthi siyishaye indiva eye-ECD ezweni. Kumele ngabe kade sagxila endabeni ye-ECD, ukuze izingane zethu zenze kahle ezikoleni, nasempilweni jikelele," usho kanje ekhuluma engqungqutheleni iBana Pele eGoli izolo.

Uthe uNgqongqoshe wezeziMali uMnuz Enoch Godongwana, ngeledlule umemezele ukuthi uzotshala u-R10 billion, eminyakeni ezayo ekuphuculeni i-ECD.

Uveze ukuthi nangesikhathi eqala ukuyikhuluma eyokususa i-ECD emnyangweni wezeNhlalakahle iye emnyangweni weMfundo eyisiSekelo, kwakukhona ababeshaya amakhala bekuchitha lokhu.

"Ngangithi uma ngikhuluma emaralini, abantu bayithakasele eyokuthi isuswe i-ECD iye kwezemfundo. Sikhathazekile ukuthi izingane ezincane azikuqondi ezikufundayo yingakho kubalulekile ukuthi i-ECD sigxile kuyona, ibekwe eqhulwini," kusho uRamaphosa.

Unxuse izikhungo ezifundisa i-ECD ukuthi zibhalise nomnyango ukuze izingane zithole okuzifanele.

'Kudingeka silungise amaphutha esawenza ezinganeni zethu. Akumele kube nezingane ezizosala ngaphandle kulolu hlelo okubaluleke kakhulu," kusho uRamaphosa.

Uthe okunye okwakumele kwenziwe ngukuvala izikole iminyaka emibili ngemuva kokuthatha izintambo kuhulumeni wobandlululo, kuyoqeqeshwa kabusha othisha.

"Othisha babezokulungela ukufundisa izingane zethu, sishintshe uhlelo lwezemfundo, Ngiyazi ukuthi abafundi babezobhuquza emakhaya bengenzi lutho. Kodwa ke kuthiwa kungcono into uyenze noma sekudlule isikhathi kunokuthi ugcine ungayenzanga noma sekudlule iminyaka emingaka," kusho uRamaphosa.

UNgqongqoshe weMfundo eyisiSekelo uNksz Siviwe Gwarube, uthe kunezingane ezingu-1.3 million kuleli, ezineminyaka emithathu kuya kwemihlanu, ezingafundi ezikhungweni ezingama-ECD.

Ingxenye eningi yazo uthe iqhamuka emiphakathini edonsa kanzima.

"Lokhu kwenza kungabikhona ukulingana kuleli. Izingane eziqhamuka emiphakathini ephila kangcono zona zisemathubeni okufunda ezikhungweni ama-ECD."

Uthe bafuna kuthi kushaya u-2030, zonke izingane kuleli zibe seziyithola le mfundo yasemazingeni aphansi.

"Asinazo zonke izimpendulo siwuhulumeni. Kumele sicabangele izingane ezingakwazi ukufunda kulezi zikhungo. Ikusasa lethu lilele ezinganeni zethu," kusho uNksz Gwarube.

Uthe njengoba izwekazi i-Afrika linabantu abaningi abaneminyaka engaphansi kuka-25, kudingeka ukuthi kugxilwe entsheni okuyiyo eyikusasa.

"Kubalulekile ukuthi kukhuliswe umnotho ukuze izwekazi libe selikwazi ukuqasha inqwaba yabantu abangasebenzi ngo-2060. Lokhu kudinga ukuthi sibambisane, sisebenze ndawonye," kusho uNksz Gwarube.