Thousands of early learning programmes (ELPs) in South Africa are not able to access state subsidies and official support because they are not registered with the Department of Basic Education (DBE). It’s a catch-22: to be registered, programmes must meet a set of regulatory requirements, which often requires a lot of money. In the end, children pay the price: about a third of 3–5-year-olds — about 1.15 million children — are not enrolled in an ELP. In addition, almost 60% of enrolled four-year-olds are not on track with regard to developmental milestones, as shown by the 2024 Thrive by Five Index. Financial support to help ELPs improve the quality of their service would ultimately translate into better child outcomes.
This learning brief looks at how early learning programmes can be assisted to access state support and how Ilifa Labantwana’s work over almost two decades has helped shape and improve South Africa’s early childhood development ecosystem, contributing to the implementation of a streamlined system that helps programmes register to receive subsidies and support.
To read this learning brief, download a PDF, or read it magazine-style on ISSUU.
