Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube gave a keynote address at the City of Cape Town's ECD Indaba where she issued a clarion call to all stakeholders across government, civil society, and the private sector to take bold and coordinated action to expand access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) across South Africa—particularly in underserved communities.
Speaking a chamber full of ECD practitioners, Minister Gwarube emphasised the urgent need to address systemic inequities that continue to shape the future prospects of South Africa's children from as early as birth. "Two children may be born in the same country, but their chances of success diverge drastically depending on their early years. We cannot allow a child's destiny to be dictated by geography or birth circumstances," said the Minister. Citing international benchmark tests and national assessments that show 8 out of 10 Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in any language, the Minister underscored that foundational learning deficits begin long before children enter the school system.
"The 8 out of 10 statistic is not just about reading. It's about whether a child will grasp the curriculum, remain in school, and ultimately build a life of dignity and opportunity. The only sustainable path to improved education outcomes is to intervene earlier and inject quality from the start," she added.
Mass Registration Drive for ECD Centres
Minister Gwarube reflected on the Department of Basic Education's intensifying of the Bana Pele mass registration drive to support ECD centres in meeting registration requirements, especially those in rural, informal, and disadvantaged communities. "Unregistered centres are often excluded from government subsidies, nutrition programmes, training opportunities and quality assurance support. This impacts the development and school readiness of vulnerable children," she warned.
The DBE will work with communities and other government departments to address infrastructure and compliance challenges, with a special focus on under-resourced areas.
Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships in Grade R
With the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act now making Grade R compulsory, Minister Gwarube acknowledged that no additional funding has yet been allocated to implement this mandate at scale."We therefore see continued collaboration with private ECD providers as not only desirable, but essential," she said.
The DBE will work to ensure standardisation across public and private Grade R provision by:
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Aligning curriculum and learning materials
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Requiring appropriate qualifications and SACE registration for Grade R teachers
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Expanding access to state-developed workbooks
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Creating pathways for accredited private centres to deliver Grade R under BELA
Focus on Language Development and Mother Tongue Instruction
Recognising the importance of early language exposure, the Minister reaffirmed her Department's commitment to Mother-Tongue Based Bilingual Education (MTBBE) from early childhood through to the Foundation Phase. "85% of brain development occurs before the age of three, and language exposure during this time is the strongest predictor of academic success," she noted.
"Our children must learn in the language they understand best while building bridges to other languages of learning. This is about cognition, comprehension, and confidence."
The DBE is currently piloting MTBBE programmes in several provinces, including teacher training and material development, and is encouraging ECD centres to adopt this evidence-based approach.
A Call to Action
Minister Gwarube concluded her address with a call for collective urgency:
"We are at a moment of transformation. We have the policy, the evidence, and the partnerships. Now we must act. We must register ECD centres, standardise quality, expand infrastructure, and place the child—whether ten, three, or newborn—at the centre of every decision. That is how we build a nation from the ground up." Minister Gwarube concluded.
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