Below is a snapshot of where the State of the Nation Address made mention of Early Childhood Development and other factors affecting the sector, young children and women. Our main focus is young children, which includes their family's holistic well-being.
Early Childhood Development
An estimated 3.2 million children in South Africa between the ages of 0 to 6 are not attending an early learning programme or having their developmental needs met at home. Over 75% of these neglected children are underprivileged.
Running an ECD centre costs money, and there is meagre or no funding available. Most centres rely on fees to pay overheads. In impoverished areas the small fee charged barely covers staffing costs, food, water, electricity, liability insurance, maintenance, resources, infrastructure needs etc.
The Early Childhood Development sector is grossly underfunded. Many registered centres are unable to claim the funding due to various hindrances, for e.g. This means 42% of ECD centres are not registered and are unable to claim for government funding (and other funding oftentimes too).
The DBE's ECD census states:
The number of children who receive the Early Childhood Development subsidy has more than doubled between 2019 and 2022, reaching 1,5 million children. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is streamlining the requirements for ECD centres to access support and enable more subsidies from government, thereby making it easier to do business.
Gender-based violence
Gender-based violence affects young children, staff and families who attend ECD centres. ECD staff are often on the frontline of GBV as they have access to families on a daily basis and notice red flags, where domestic violence or another type of GBV could be happening in a child's life. They can then take the necessary actions to ensure the child and their mother can receive help.
President Ramaphosa has signed three new laws that allow for greater protection of gender-based violence survivors.
Women's Economic Empowerment
Historically, women are paid lower wages and are oftentimes dependent on their partner, the main breadwinner. This is one of the reasons that many women remain in relationships with perpetrators of GBV. This directly affects young children, who themselves witness and experience GBV at home.
Government has trained more than 3,500 women-owned enterprises to prepare them to take up procurement opportunities. The IDC has earmarked R9 billion to invest in women-led businesses.
Load shedding
To run an ECD centre well and safely one needs power. Many centres unfortunately do not have electricity, and this needs to change. There are often paraffin fire accidents. Using gas in a small, unventilated area is not healthy for a child or the staff. Electricity is needed for cooking fresh meals, lights, alarm systems, gate motors, Wi-Fi usage and other technology. Many ECD centres in disadvantaged areas forgo these needed/desired items due to a lack of electricity.
President Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster, in response to the electricity crisis. A new Minister of Electricity will be appointed in the Presidency. Their main focus will be working with Eskom to end load shedding. Households and businesses will be able to benefit from tax incentives for solar panel installation.
Social security
Many of our ECD centres are situated in impoverished areas and service households in need. There is more likelihood that ECD centre fees (which pay for the variety of overheads an ECD centre has) can be paid if the local inhabitants whose children attend the ECD centres, are further supported.
The President announced the continuation of the Social Relief of Distress Grant (R350), which currently reaches 7,8 million people.
Jobs
South Africa has an official unemployment rate of 34.4%, with a record of 7,8 million jobless people leading to many families in poverty, with children growing up in poverty. They then have educational and skills disadvantages which in turn leads to them struggling to find a job and ultimately failing to escape the poverty cycle.
If a child attends an ECD centre there is more likelihood they will finish school, and then study further or seek employment. Seeking employment for a school leaver can be daunting, especially when they have no work experience. It is a good idea to work part-time if possible whilst still at school, not only will this help you gain useful work experience whilst earning an income, it might also help you decide which industry you would like to work in after school.
President Ramaphosa called on companies and SOEs to remove the requirement for work experience for young people seeking entry-level employment.
Agriculture
Small-scale farming is happening in communities throughout South Africa - in community co-ops, at schools and ECD centres, libraries and old age homes, to name a few. This is excellent for self-sustainability, and in many cases, where a surplus of produce is grown, a much-needed source of revenue occurs for the centre/community.
140,000 small-scale farmers have received input vouchers to buy seeds, fertiliser and equipment, providing a boost for food security and agricultural reform. 68% of these farmers are women. This year, government aims to provide 250,000 more vouchers to small-scale farmers.
Transport
Children and their families need safe and affordable passage to and from their ECD centre and workplace, every day.
13 commuter rail lines have been reopened. Restructuring currently underway at PRASA will hopefully address transportation challenges and reduce the cost of travel for workers.
ENDS.
