In February 2025, Trialogue and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT) held a webinar to explore practical ways for companies to support early learning programmes, with a focus on the Department of Basic Education’s mass registration drive Bana Pele. Nomsa Muthaphuli, ECD & Youth Fund Manager at OMT, explains what has been achieved regarding South Africa’s 2030 Strategy for Early Childhood Development Programmes.
What are the key pillars of the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) 2030 Strategy for Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programmes?
The strategy sets out a plan to close gaps in ECD access and quality and ensure that communities have the programmes to meet their needs. The outcomes include ensuring every child has access to age-appropriate, affordable ECD programmes; enabling government systems, leadership, capacity and coordination; ensuring sufficient funding; supporting a capable ECD workforce; and enhancing programme quality.
How many ECD programmes are there in South Africa, serving how many children? Of these, how many are registered? How many children aged three to five are not in any ECD programme – registered or not?
The 2021 ECD census counted 42 420 early learning programmes (ELPs), of which 42% were unregistered. Based on estimates, about 1.5 million children regularly attend ELPs while around 1.3 million children between three and five do not attend any ELPs. The learnings from the census on the registration status of ELPs culminated in the Bana Pele, using a digital process – Early Childhood Administration and Reporting System (eCares) – through which ELPs can apply, be assessed to identify compliance gaps and be registered.
Briefly describe the aims and timelines of Bana Pele.
The drive aims to register 20 000 unregistered ECD programmes in a three-step process: apply, comply and complete.
How many ECD programmes have been registered since March 2025? How realistic is the DBE’s goal of registering 20 000 programmes by December 2025?
More than 19 300 ELPs have applied, of which 11 300 are bronze registered. The next step is to move them to silver or gold, so they’re eligible to apply for the subsidy of R24 per day per child. Several ELPs will not meet compliance requirements and will need support from government and the private sector to meet programme, health and safety and infrastructure requirements.
How is the OMT helping to build the social compact in scaling ECD, especially in terms of coordination between government, nonprofits and the private sector?
OMT is involved in the mass registration drive, supporting fundraising to close compliance gaps for ELPs so they can be eligible for registration (as mentioned before), and managing the execution of the support. We have also joined hands with the DBE to support the implementation of an early childhood care and education (ECCE) outcomes fund in 2026, targeting 100 000 children.
OMT has proposed a central infrastructure fund to support compliance and registration. How will it operate, and what role can business and philanthropic partners play in closing the funding gap?
An efficient and coordinated process is required to support the health-and-safety and infrastructure needs of ELPs and ensure children learn in safe environments. A centralised fund means a capable, experienced fund manager can work closely with the DBE to identify ELPs that need support, manage procurement and delivery of service providers and ensure economies of scale are realised.
The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) is set to be South Africa’s largest outcomes-based financing initiative for ECD. When will the fund be launched, how will it be administered and what will be prioritised?
The programme will launch in 2026 and run for three years. The EOF, an independent trust fund hosted by UNICEF, will administer the programme with an in-country team. It aims to set up new ELPs to reach 50 000 children and support existing ELPs to reach a further 50 000, with a focus on improved child outcomes.
What were the key findings of the Thrive by Five Index 2024? How does the social compact address the quality of early learning?
Based on the 2024 survey, only 42% of children in ECD programmes were developmentally on track for early learning, with girls outperforming boys. The results were statistically similar to those of 2021, and it was recommended that they be used as a baseline. A sector-wide response is needed to ensure improved results in the future. It will require new ways of collective action from both funders and implementing organisations to shift the needle significantly.
With R10 billion allocated by the government to ECD in 2025 and the subsidy increasing from R17 to R24 per child per day, what impact do you expect this will have on access and quality?
The increase is still not sufficient to cover delivery costs at ELPs, but it will go a long way in supporting them to improve nutrition for children and the quality of learning resources.
How is OMT supporting youth employment in the ECD sector, and what progress has been made in creating sustainable career pathways for young people, especially women?
For youth, there are opportunities to be involved in the ECD value chain, including activities such as toy-making, providing nutrition, and so on. The R24 per child per day might make it more attractive for youth to set up ELPs, but thinking through additional revenue streams is important for sustainability.
How can companies and nonprofits support the Bana Pele mass registration drive, EOF and proposed infrastructure fund?
The DBE recently released the Bana Pele blueprint to operationalise the 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes, which consolidates actions required to ensure universal access to quality early learning. We need to act collaboratively to change our country’s trajectory by improving learning quality and the chances of success for our children.
Nomsa Muthaphuli | ECD & Youth Fund Manager, OMT | nmuthaphuli@omt.org.za | www.omt.org.za
