ECD registration drive approves 10,000 centres ahead of deadline

The Bana Pele Early Childhood Development (ECD) Mass Registration Drive has registered and approved 10,000 ECD centres ahead of the December 2025 deadline, said the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
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Image source: Freepik

The department announced the reaching of this milestone in a statement on Monday, 22 September.

The milestone has been reached three months ahead of the 31 December deadline set by Minister Siviwe Gwarube at the start of the year.

“This success is a testament to what can be achieved when government, the private sector, civil society, and communities join forces. But we cannot take our foot off the pedal – much work remains to ensure every child has access to quality early learning opportunities,” said the Minister.

Children first

The DBE’s Bana Pele ECD Mass Registration Drive puts “children first” and is an important initiative to register ECD programmes at scale to ensure every child is receiving quality early learning, development opportunities and a safe and nurturing environment.

When launching the national ECD registration clinics, Gwarube committed the department to a target of registering 10,000 ECD centres by year end.

This as the department said reaching the milestone ahead of schedule signalled the strong momentum behind the campaign and reflected the dedication of practitioners, communities, and partners to placing South Africa’s youngest learners at the heart of development.

“The success of the drive is credited to the DBE’s robust advocacy and outreach efforts, including a nationwide radio campaign and the hosting of Bana Pele ECD registration clinics across five provinces. These initiatives have lowered barriers to registration and brought essential government services closer to communities.

“This achievement comes at a time when evidence highlights the urgency of improving access to quality early learning. The recently released Thrive by Five Index and other studies show that many of South Africa’s children are not developmentally on track, with 80% lacking foundational literacy skills.

“Expanding access to ECD is therefore critical to laying the groundwork for lifelong learning, social development, and improved school outcomes,” said the DBE.

Next phase

The department is now accelerating the next phase of the Bana Pele ECD Mass Registration Drive, focusing on the remaining four provinces.

“The Minister will personally lead provincial visits to encourage more ECD practitioners to register. Registered centres gain access to DBE support, including a daily subsidy of R24 per child, as well as learning and teaching materials such as educational toys, colouring books, and reading resources.

“The DBE remains resolute in ensuring that every child in South Africa can thrive by five,” it said.

At the commencement of the drive in November last year, the department urged ECD operators to participate in the drive.


 
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