Members of the Executive Council (MEC) for Social Development and Education, Morakane Mosupyoe and Panyaza Lesufi respectively, held a virtual consultative engagement, last week with the Early Childhood Development stakeholders to brief them about the progress and preparations for the ECD function shift between the two departments.
This function shift follows the President's announcement during the 2019 State of the Nation Address that the responsibility for Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs) would be migrated from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education.
In her address MEC for Social Development said that the Proclamation by President of the Republic on the transfer of administration and powers and functions is enabled by legislation in terms of section 97 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, hence the migration of ECD function from Minister of Social Development to the Minister of Basic Education.
The main aim is to improve the development of children and the quality of early childhood education and in line with other countries that have moved from viewing ECD less as a child protection function and more as an early learning function that is led and coordinated by national ministries of education.
In her address MEC Mosupyoe also said," It is indeed true that the first few years of a child are essential I so far as character development and thus shapes the citizen a child becomes. Furthermore, it is also an opportunity to bridge the income gap in South Africa. Based on evaluations of well-conceived programs, it is demonstrated that children who participate in ECD programs tend to be more successful in school, are
more competent socially and emotionally, show better verbal, intellectual and physical development during early childhood than those not enrolled in high quality programs.
Furthermore, benefits of competent programmes are anticipated to result in higher intelligence scores, higher and timelier school enrolment, less grade repetition and lower dropout rates, higher school completion rates, improved nutrition- and health status, improved social and emotional behaviour, improved parent – child relationship, increased earning potential and economic self – sufficiency as an adult, and increased female labour force participation".
Mosupyoe further applauded the strides made by the Gauteng Department of Social in improving the quality of early childhood development through the ECD Massification Programme and the work done to ensure the sector is well taken care of and is able to provide quality services to its clients.
MEC Panyaza Lesufi assured the sector that government will keep them involved in every step of the function shift and that the change will only be at administrative levels. "True to our commitment when we last met in Randburg, we are back here again today to bring you up to speed on progress we have made. 
In this function shift, we have the best interest of our children at heart. We are ensuring that through the strategic relocation of the ECD function, we are creating an enabling environment of producing future and better children and leaders of South Africa" MEC Lesufi said.
Both MECs reiterated Gauteng government's commitment in ensuring that the shift from Social Development to Education will remain seamless and will not interrupt service delivery as both departments remain committed to the process. This entails shifting of all administration, powers and functions as outlined by the Proclamations, which will give GDBE the following responsibilities, which will commence in 1 April
2022:
- Leadership and Coordination of the ECD Sector;
- ECD Partial Care registration;
- ECD centre monitoring and support;
- Registration of ECD programmes;
- Provision of funding to centres and programmes;
- The development of norms and standards;
- The facilitation of equitable access to ECD programmes;
- Practitioner salaries through the subsidy or conditions of services;
- ECD equipment and Learning and Teaching Support Material; and
- Nutrition (through the subsidy).
Furthermore, Gauteng Social Development will remain crucial in early childhood development because Social Development remains responsible for the functions related to social support and care, and support to ECD programmes like the support currently provided to learners in schools. Social Development will continue to include child protection; psycho-social services; access to social services to prevent and address risk factors; parental support programmes; and partial care facilities.