4 Give every child the benefit of early childhood development.

Strategy Action

Ensure that all children in quintiles 1–3 have access to quality early learning. Increase prioritisation and demand for early learning.

› Support social franchise models and other innovations that seek to increase access to subsidised, quality early learning programmes (ELPs).

› Help the state to establish a system for quality assurance and support for ELPs.

› Resource ELPs to improve quality and sustainability.

› Support systems for promoting quality and sustainability within ELPs.

› Support caregivers to provide early learning and care for young children.

› Increase public engagement that stimulates caregiver demand for early learning.

› Directly engage key government actors through various mechanisms including secondments in key departments such as National Treasury or the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

› Seek representation on key committees such as the Interdepartmental ECD Steering Committee and the Inter-sectoral Forum for ECD.

› Focus on highlighting the role of municipalities in promoting access to ECD.

› Support advocacy efforts through the Real Reform for ECD to accelerate public demand for, and awareness of, key advocacy issues within the sector.

Drive sector-wide coordination and leadership. Support systems innovation that enables the roll-out of quality EL p s. Unlock public financing for ECD.

› Support and convene key government stakeholders, funders and civil society organisations to map out key milestones for setting up an ECD agency.

› Provide thought leadership that shapes public engagement and galvanises interest in forming a social compact for ECD. This can include policy briefs, media engagements and other such publications.

› Support the development of an ECD Management Information System.

› Drive initiatives that support data sharing and reporting across DGMT’s flagship projects.

› Supporting data-driven innovations through responsive grant-making.

› Roll out ECD Connect digital platform to enable the support and monitoring of ECD programmes at scale.

› Build an evidence base through research and publishing briefs and reports to justify increased public financing to achieve universal access to the essential ECD package.

› Collaborate with key stakeholders to produce an evidence base that supports improved institutional finance and payment arrangements for ECD across various programmes (including subsidies and public employment programmes).

Outcome

› Two million children aged 0–5 have access to subsidised ELPs by 2027.

› The number of children on track for early learning by the age of 4–5 increases to 50% 18 by 2025.

› The number of registered ELPs increases by 2027 and the number of ELPs without materials to support programme quality reduces.

› Community health workers support 800 000 children through home visits.

› An evidence-based Human Resource Development Strategy for ECD is in place that aims for universal coverage.

› Policy-making and regulations prioritise universal access to quality ECD.

› The number of ECD civic engagements at the local, provincial and national level increases.

› Alongside other partners, an ECD agency is set up by 2027 that incorporates all elements of the essential package.

› Increased access to data-driven decision making for ECD.

› Increased reporting on the quality of ELPs.

› A functioning Education Management Information System (EMIS) for reporting and decision-making for the Department of Basic Education.

› Regular national surveys measuring ECD programme outcomes.

› Improved availability and use of systems, evidence and data for making decisions at provincial and national level.

› Increased budget allocation for ECD from R4.9 billion to R8.3 billion within five years.

ALL CHILDREN ON TRACK BY GRADE 4