PRETORIA: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has called on Early Childhood Development (ECD) operators to actively engage in a nationwide registration initiative. This effort aims to include ECD programmes currently operating outside the regulated system.

According to South African Government News Agency, The department highlighted that approximately half of all ECD programmes remain unregistered, impacting tens of thousands of children. More than 20,000 ECD programmes operate without formal oversight, disproportionately affecting low-income areas where children lack access to oversight and funding.

The DBE has launched the Bana Pele ECD Mass Registration Drive, an initiative focused on ensuring quality early learning and development in a safe environment. Recognizing ECD as a crucial developmental phase, the department aims to establish oversight, legal compliance, and facilitate subsidy applications for ECDs serving low-income families.

The drive aims to streamline registration processes and provide
live support through the Early Childhood Administrative and Reporting System (eCares). In collaboration with provinces and NGOs, the initiative has already registered 800 new ECDs and reviewed 1,479 applications, impacting over 27,000 children and 3,116 staff members.

Since the ECD function transitioned from the Department of Social Development to the DBE, Gauteng alone has seen a 30% increase in registered centres. Nationally, the goal is to register an additional 10,000 ECDs by 2025, with approximately 18,000 centres currently registered.

The department remains committed to collaboration across sectors to ensure the success of the registration drive, ultimately striving for a brighter future for South Africa’s children.