Op-ed: Ignoring child nutrition in South Africa can’t be the next big mistake
President Cyril Ramaphosa regrets that early childhood development (ECD) was not prioritised from the advent of democracy. At the Bana Pele Leadership Summit last month, he turned to Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube and said: “I’m the first in government to admit that we have made a mistake. We should have started with early childhood development […]
Op-ed: Peer-to-peer learning in early childhood development is a winning strategy
On a quiet Saturday morning, deep in the rolling green hills of the Wild Coast, a gathering of dedicated early childhood development (ECD) practitioners took place. Despite it being a weekend, 30 women and four men arrived to participate in a “community of practice” (CoP). Think of a CoP as a group of people who […]
Article: Community trusts are greening the future
Community trusts linked to renewable energy projects are designed to ensure a portion of profits benefits the locals. Otsile Bokamoso is an after-school educational organisation whose name means “The future is bright”. Based in Dealesville, a small mixed-farming town in Free State province, it provides academic support to learners in the foundation phase (grades one […]
eNCA Interview: Spotlight on investment in early childhood development
Calls are being made for the seventh administration to invest properly in early childhood development. eNCA spoke to DGMT CEO, David Harrison, who said that the country needs a common agenda for children, which can act as a powerful rallying call to take South Africa forward. Click on the image and watch the full interview […]
INX Interview: Building Futures: Children’s rights NGOs urge GNU action
David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust, shares with INX Prime a call for the Government of National Unity (GNU) to prioritise children’s needs in the ongoing discourse about a new social compact for South Africa. New research has revealed that the progress made in reducing child poverty and mortality since 1994 is being […]
A new social compact must put children at the centre of South Africa’s national development
When political parties agreed to form a Government of National Unity (GNU), they committed to an inclusive national dialogue with political parties, labour, business, civil society and other sectors. The goal is to develop a ‘social compact’ that would enable South Africa to meet the aspirations of the National Development Plan (NDP) by 2030. Adequate […]
South African Early Childhood Review 2024
30 years into democracy, the average child in South Africa is chronically underpowered to reach their full potential. The 7th Administration is a window of opportunity to turn things around. Young children in South Africa are more likely to live in poverty, suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition, and die before their fifth birthday than […]
Hands-on Learning Issue 27
Through the newly rebranded edition of our Hands-on Learning publication developed in June 2023, we hope to play a helpful role in synthesising information from innovators and implementers in civil society, supporting them to share what they have learnt so that others can draw from and build on their experiences. Putting children first: What can […]
Ilifa Labantwana: A system change case study
Ilifa Labantwana is a South African NGO that is driving system change in early childhood development (ECD). It does this by strengthening and co-creating the institutions, strategies, and practices that the ECD ecosystem needs to thrive, and increasingly, by situating ECD as a multi-dimensional route to shifting South African inequality. This case study was undertaken […]
Newzroom Afrika Interview: Introducing DGMT’s Change Ideas initiative
Change Ideas: Public policies to change our world DGMT’s new initiative, Change Ideas, through policy briefs, advocacy and engagements with decision-makers and the public, aims to address issues facing South Africa, delve into their root causes, leverage proven research (both locally and internationally) and propose practical solutions that are readily scalable. Change Ideas brings together […]
