Abstract:

This paper aims to present a view of pertinent literature that illuminates the progression of Early Childhood Development (ECD) in the migratory process from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in the South African context. Early childhood development and early education is considered an investment of human capital, crucial in children’s long term learning trajectory and wellbeing. Young children’s early developmental years, from conception to six years, are critical for learning and acquiring perceptual concepts, skills, and social behaviours, which are needed to support the foundations of lifelong learning. Early stimulation and nurturing care as well as experiential learning is important in shaping the developing brain, and therefore young children need healthy nutrition, need to feel safe, need everyday interactions with their primary caregivers, and exposure to early learning opportunities with their peers. In South Africa, the centrality of ECD lies in the efforts to diminish socio-economic inequality. However, millions of young children continue to underperform against more advantaged peers, and school drop-out rates reflect how chronically underpowered children’s engagement is in the country’s socio-economic landscape. In South Africa, ECD is viewed as a sector which is struggling and lagging behind. ECD goals are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Nurturing Care Framework of the World Health Assembly. The extent to which the country is meeting ECD goals, is measured through policy documents, research and the range of available programmes. The National Integrated ECD Policy of 2015, considers the interconnectedness of children’s diverse needs which calls for multiple role-players and interrelated services. ECD can be grouped into three age categories: conception to 2 years (Health and nutrition focus stronger); age 3-5years (Early learning focus stronger); Grade R (transition and entry into formal schooling). Three key departments have been responsible for ECD service delivery namely: the Departments of Health, Basic Education, and Social Development, with other departments such as the South African Police Service, Home Affairs, Justice, and local government supporting and complementing the ECD services. Despite ECD policy advancement, services outlined for policy implementation have not made significant progress especially in nutrition, early learning, and care-giver support. In 2019, the South African presidency foregrounded early learning by shifting the ECD directive from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education signifying an additional mandatory year of schooling in Grade RR. Considered a critical step in aligning ECD with Basic Education, the move proposes better budget prospects for ECD, improved professionalised ECD training, as well as a more suitable alignment of the early learning curricula with foundation phase learning outcomes. The shift of ECD directive from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education may be considered for its expansion access to ECD. However, in tracking the process, there is a need to take into cognisance key reminders of what the migration is not. This paper aims to highlight the question of schooling of 0-5year olds, the employment of ECD practitioners, ECD funding, ECD infrastructure, current ECD service provision, and the professionalization of the ECD sector.

Keywords:

Early Childhood Development, early education, ECD migration, Department of Social Development, Department of Basic Education.