Deputy Minister Mhaule participated in the 67 Minutes of Nelson Mandela Day Initiative in Thembisa. The programme featured the Deputy Minister, accompanied by DDG for Delivery and Support, Ms Simoné Geyer, and Ward Councillor, Ms Nomvula Malinga from the City of Ekurhuleni.
The Deputy Minister engaged with, and delivered donations of educational toys and books to two Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, Silindokuhle Day and After Care Centre and the My Angels Day and After Care Centre, both in Thembisa. The Deputy Minister also presented a health and safety pack to one of the centres. These packs enable the centres to meet standardised health and safety requirements.
Both ECD centres received donations of educational toys and books to enhance the children's cognitive skills and stimulate their creativity and imagination. Deputy Minister Mhaule kicked off her 67 Minutes for Mandela Day with an interactive book reading session with the children. Dr Mhaule said that it is important that crèches and pre-schools should read, tell stories and allow children to become familiar with books: “Listening to stories, whether they are read or told, is enjoyable and creates an appetite for more stories, which encourages children to learn to read, especially in their home languages”.
Since the ECD function shift in April 2022, the DBE and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) have prioritised the professional development of ECD practitioners to improve the quality of foundational learning. The DBE has supported both training on the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for children from birth to four years and access to qualifications aligned to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4. Training efforts are directly aligned with the commitment towards expanding access to quality early childhood development as one of the five strategic priorities of the 7th Administration. These efforts are complemented by the development of new curriculum implementation support materials, including daily activity plans and integrated learning and teaching support tools, to strengthen the implementation of the NCF across all programme types.
The selection of practitioners for training is coordinated by PEDs, who prioritise ECD programmes in the most vulnerable communities. Programmes must be conditionally registered with the PED to ensure oversight and accountability. To reach informal or unregistered practitioners, the DBE is scaling up the Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive, which aims to ensure that all ECD programmes, especially in underserved areas, are brought under provincial oversight and can benefit from state-funded support and training initiatives. The DBE remains committed to ensuring that every child has access to a qualified practitioner and a curriculum-rich early learning environment. Improving the quality and reach of ECD is central to ensuring that children who enter Grade 1 are cognitively, emotionally and physically ready to learn; and forms the foundation of a more equitable and effective basic education system.