During his 2024/25 budget speech, the Northern Cape MEC for Education announced a significant increase in funding for the early childhood development programme, now totalling R215 million for the current financial year.
WITH the construction of additional early childhood development centres (ECD), the Northern Cape MEC for Education, Abraham Vosloo, has announced an increase in funding for the ECD programme to R215 million for the current financial year.
This announcement was made by the MEC during his 2024/25 budget speech this week, where he presented an overall budget of R8.11 billion.
Vosloo emphasised that expanding access to ECD learning is a top priority for the department.
“Early childhood education will be one of our main priorities, to formalise the sector to comply with the norms and standards. The department has finalised its ECD strategy and will provide Grade R classrooms incrementally over the next five years at all primary schools, where no Grade R classes are offered.
“The department is also in the process of introducing smart ECD centres as part of our modernisation strategy,” said Vosloo.
The MEC added that during the 2024/25 financial year, new community-based ECD centres would be inaugurated in Douglas, Riemvasmaak, Colesberg and Lerato Park.
To ensure broader access to ECD learning, Vosloo highlighted that thousands of learners will be subsidised.
“The department is subsidising 13,600 children in registered ECD centres across the Province as well as supporting 3,400 children in playgroups using the ECD Conditional Grant and the equitable share allocation.
“The department also continues to work with private and corporate funders to support the ECD sector through the construction or renovation of ECD centres to comply with the minimum health and safety standards.”
Vosloo also noted that several new ECD centres are in the pipeline for the 2024/25 financial year in various areas in the Province. These projects are made possible through partnerships between the government and private sector.
“An ECD centre will be newly constructed at !Xunkhwesa Combined School in Platfontein, which is a collaboration between Palms for Life, the San Vision Foundation and the provincial Department of Education.
“The !Khwe ECD Centre in Platfontein, funded by the National Development Agency is also under construction. The use of the !Xu and !Khwe languages at these centres are being explored as an extracurricular activity.
“The Lebelelang ECD Centre, funded by Kolomela Mine, in Postmasburg is nearing completion. This ECD centre will also house a care centre for children with disabilities between ages 8 to 17 years and a protective workshop for adults with disabilities.
“Renovations are currently under way at the Ya Rona Day Care Centre and the Banabotle ECD Centre by Sishen Iron Ore. Renovations at the Dibeng ECD Centre by the Dibeng Community Solar Trust are also under way. The Cotlands ECD programme, funded by Sishen Iron Ore, will run a toy library in the Gamagara and Gasegonyana municipality areas.
“The registration of ECD centres will be simplified through the mass registration campaign to work towards full compliance of the norms and standards,” Vosloo concluded.
