DBE's new registration drive aims to bring unregulated ECD centres under formal oversight, enhancing safety and access to quality early childhood education for thousands of South African children. File Picture: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has urged the Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres operating outside the regulated system to register in a new nationwide initiative aimed at enhancing quality and safety in early childhood education.
Known as the "Bana Pele ECD Mass Registration Drive“, this campaign seeks to bring ECD programs under formal oversight, particularly in low-income areas where many remain unregistered.
Across South Africa, an estimated 20,000 ECD centres are currently unregistered, leaving tens of thousands of young children in settings that lack regulatory supervision and access to subsidies.
This affects children in under-served communities the most, where facilities often face greater challenges and lack resources.
The DBE’s spokesperson, Terence Khala, emphasised the significance of the mass registration drive, stating: “We are putting our children first. This initiative is an important step to ensure every child is receiving quality early learning, development opportunities, and a safe and nurturing environment.”
With early childhood considered a crucial stage for learning and development, the drive's goals include government oversight of ECD centres, supporting compliance with legal requirements, and simplifying the process for centres to receive subsidies for children from low-income households.
The department has introduced a new Early Childhood Administrative and Reporting System (eCares) to streamline registration and provide support for ECD practitioners.
The initiative has so far registered 800 new ECD centres, with 3,000 applications received in Gauteng and the Free State alone since its June 2024 launch. Another 1,479 applications are under review.
These new registrations have impacted 27,114 children and over 3,000 staff members.
“In Gauteng, the number of registered centres has grown by 30% due to this campaign,” Khala noted.
The registration drive is expected to roll out nationwide in the coming months, with a target to have an additional 10,000 ECDs registered by 2025.
The DBE is working closely with provincial teams, NGOs, and other stakeholders to align registration processes and ensure smooth integration.
IOL