PRESENTATION FOR THE WORLD BANK
TECHNICAL WORKSHOP OF THE AFRICA ECCD
INITIATIVE
26-28 October 2009 ZANZIBAR
INTRODUCTION
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South Africa-Geography.
Socio, Economic and Political Context.
Historical Context.
Status and situation of young children.
ECD terms in South Africa.
What is policy?
The dawn of ECD policy development.
Definition of ECD in South Africa.
Stages of Policy Development.
Stakeholders in ECD Policy development.
ECD departments and their roles.
Critical Policy resources and products.
Achievements from ECD policy implementation strategies.
Lessons learnt towards Scaling up ECD.
SOUTH AFRICA-GEOGRAPHY
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
South Africa became a democratic state in 1994,
having abolished the apartheid system of government.
The system which was racially discriminative and
unjust did not spare children.
There were no ECD policies even for the privileged
children.
There was a fragmented system of ECD services and
very few children benefited from it mainly among the
whites,colourds, Indians and .
ECD TERMS IN SOUTH AFRICA
 ECD Site is an ECD centre.
 Reception year (5year olds)is Kindergarten.
 Grade 0 or Pre-reception (4year olds)
 Grade 00 (3 year olds).
 ECD Practitioner is a non recognised ECD teacher.
SOCIO,ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
CONTEXT
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11 languages
9 Provinces
Multiparty parliamentary democracy, ANC most dominant party
29 government departments
Policy and politics closely linked even at implementation level
GDP $277 billion- High unemployment rate
Industries, mining, manufacturing and agro processing
Two economies- developed/under developed /unequal /distribution of
wealth
 Since 1994 changes and progress have been made in providing social
services through various programmes
 Access to health, education, housing and business opportunities have
improved
 Improved infrastructure
STATUS AND SITUATION OF YOUNG
CHILDREN
 There are 5,164 500 children ages birth to four
 55% belong to poor households
 2.8 on Child support grants
 Under five mortality rates 61% per 1000 live births 1998 and
57.6 per 1000 live births
 79% children one year old immunised
 The percentage of children aged 0–4 years attending an
educational institution increased from 7,6% in 2002 to
16,6% in 2007.
 The percentage of five-year-olds attending educational
institutions increased from 40,1% in 2002 to 60,4% in 2007
WHAT IS POLICY?
ECD Policy in this presentation is anything that is an
expression government’s intentions and commitment
to meeting the needs and rights of young children,
examples:
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Plans
Legislated documents such as Acts, Bills
Government branded documents ,white papers.
Guidelines
Strategies
Frameworks
THE DAWN OF ECD POLICY
DEVELOPMENT
Organized policy development processes in all sectors
and spheres of government, begun in the early 1990s,
after Mandela was released and continued into early
2000s.
By 2003 the key Departments of Social Development
and Education had developed their own ECD Policies.
Health did not have ECD policies but addressed
young children’s needs, rights and issues, in their
different Health policies, guidelines and strategies.
Policy development, included the ratification of
international child related policy instruments and
commitments .
DEFINITION OF ECD IN SA
 Early Childhood Development in South Africa refers to a
comprehensive approach to policies and programmes for
children from birth to 9 years of age, with the active
participation of their parents and caregivers. Its purpose is
to protect the child’s rights to develop his or her full
cognitive, emotional, social and physical potential.
 This definition is used widely by government and NGOs
 The definition and understanding of ECD in SA is one of
the products of ECD Policy consultations that took place in
the early 1990s.
STAGES OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT
 Separate ECD policy products were developed across the key
departments of Education, Social Development and Health,
but using the same stakeholders.
 Steps for ECD Policy development using stages approach:
 Agenda setting :
 This was characterised by lobbying and advocacy at
national and provincial policy forums as well as research
STAGES OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT
CONT......
 Adoption:
Various research
 various proposals and drafts were develop through
stakeholder participation and consultations
 Pilot and national audit
 Formulation of Policy:
 Final policy determined by government- influenced by
critical needs, capacity and resources.
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Implementation
• Targeted implementation using social economic levels to
identify vulnerable and needy children
STAKEHOLDERS IN ECD POLICY
DEVELOPMENT
 The ECD policy development process, brought together many ECD
role players such as:
 Practitioners –Caregivers
 Local ECD structures and associations
 Researchers
 Advocates for child rights
 Training organisations and other NGOs
 Owners of ECD Centres
 Teachers
 Politicians
 South African Congress for Early Childhood Development:
 Main structure for the early policy consultations
 Cymbal of racial unity in ECD
 Organised at national, provincial and regional levels
ECD DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR ROLES
Key ECD Departments have developed policy products relating to their ECD roles
and ages that they are responsible for:
 Social Department- birth to five
Social Grants, Subsidies, and site registration
Health Department -Prenatal to nine
 Integrated Management of Childhood Diseases, Primary Health Care , HIV
and AIDS interventions
Department of Basic Education – birth to nine
 Curriculum development and implementation
 Early Stimulation
 Teacher training
 Learning and teaching resources
Home Affairs: Birth +
 Birth Registration
Women and Children-New
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CRITICAL POLICY RESOURCES AND
PRODUCTS
National Policy Investigation 1992.
 White Paper 1 on Education 1995(Education Act).
 World Bank ECD Situation Analysis 1994 (Stakeholder lead).
 The Interim ECE Policy 1996.
 The National ECD Pilot (Stakeholder /government
partnership with )1996-1997.
 The ECD Audit ( Massive consultation )1999-2000.
 White Paper 5 on ECE.
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CRITICAL POLICY RESOURCES AND
PRODUCTS CONT....
 White Paper on Social Development.
 Children’s Act.
 South Africa’s National Children’s Rights. Coordination
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Framework.
Guidelines for Early Childhood Development.
Integrated Plan for Children affected and infected by HIV
and AIDS.
Health Sector Strategic Frame work.
The Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDs.
The comprehensive Primary Health Care Package.
The National Integrated Plan for Early Childhood
Development For Birth to Four (Only intersectoral policy document).
ACHIEVEMENTS FROM ECD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
 Well defined ECD units and sections were established in
the departments of Education and Social Development .
 Some departments have identified focal ECD people.
 Identification of different implementation strategies.
 Financing-ECD became a budget item with Treasury from
2000.
 ECD has become a political priority and one of the apex
areas for government intervention.
 National programmes for poverty alleviation are using ECD
as a place to start implementation:
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Programme of Action
Expanded Public Works programme
ACHIEVEMENTS FROM ECD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
There is some collaboration between government and
NGOs but it needs strengthening and formalising.
Number of registered sites have increased from less
than 5000 in 2001 to over 11,000.
ECD training mechanisms in place.
Number of trained and skilled ECD practitioners is
over 10,000 (No reliable system of data collection.
ECD Qualification system in place.
CHALLENGES
Lack of Social cohesion- barriers and extensive
differences due to lack of unequal access to economic
benefits amenities and resources.
Poverty -biggest challenge to ECD.
Effects of HIV and AIDS-Child headed homes.
No national advocacy.
Lack of monitoring and evaluation.
CHALLENGES CONT....
Intersectoral service delivery mechanisms not in place.
ECD financing has improved but still inadequate.
Spending of ECD financial resources sometimes a
problem.
Financial tracking not in place.
LESSONS LEARNT TOWARDS
SCALING UP ECD
Requirements for scaling up ECD particularly
for birth to four:
 Well defined policies and implementation strategies.
 Un equivocal government commitment.
 Dedicated funding.
 Committed staff and ECD sections.
 An appropriate integrated approach.
 Clear planning and budgets for short term, medium
term, long term.
LESSONS LEARNT TOWARDS SCALING
UP ECD CONT....
 Interdepartmental collaboration.
 Intersectoral collaboration.
 Well defined systems and structures of service delivery.
 Interventions must begin early (even prenatally).
 Use combination of interventions.
 utilize a range of delivery channels (e.g. centers, crèches, health
facility ,homes etc.).
SCALING UP FOR QUALITY
Important to note that quality interventions require -:
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Integration of health, nutrition, education, social and economic
development and care in ECD programmes.
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Collaboration between government and civil society organizations.
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Lower child to care giver ratios and smaller group sizes for younger
children.
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For purposes of monitoring and evaluation develop standards or
indicators for example for early learning,programmes, centers
,training etc.
SCALING UP FOR QUALITY CONT...
 Staff who are appropriately trained, receive ongoing in-
service training and supportive and continuous
supervision.
 Involvement of parents as partners with ECD practitioners.
 Combines a package of multiple interventions (birth
registration, supplementary food, social grants, parent
education etc.).
 Substantial investment resources required both for training
and for payment of salaries of for ECD practitioners.
CONCLUSION
It’s all about the children their
needs and rights
(Young Lives UNICEF South Africa)