SIVIWE GWARUBE | Bana Pele Roadmap to ensure one-million kids access quality ECD programmes by 2030

SA has set a bold and urgent goal: by 2030, every child aged three to five should be able to access a quality early childhood development (ECD) programme. This vision, outlined in the department of basic education’s 2030 Bana Pele Roadmap, is about more than expanding services. It’s about changing how we work together to give every child, especially the most vulnerable, the strong start they deserve. After all, Bana Pele means “putting children first”.

The 2030 roadmap was recently endorsed by leaders from government, business, and civil society at the Bana Pele Leadership Summit, which marked a clear mindset shift from fragmented programmes to co-ordinated action and from ambition to accountability.

More than one million children between the ages of three and five do not attend any early learning programme, and only four out of ten are developmentally on track by age five. Without a strong foundation, many of these children begin school on the back foot, and some never catch up. 

To break this cycle, the roadmap outlines four collective commitments to expand access to an additional 200,000 children per year, reaching 1-million more by 2030. These are: putting children at the centre, working better together, funding smarter and raising the bar on quality.

Every decision should begin with one question: Is this good for children? That means prioritising those who are most at risk of being left behind, breaking down the barriers that limit access, and creating safe, nurturing spaces where they can learn and thrive.

It also means investing in the people who deliver ECD. SA's ECD workforce is on the frontlines of child development, employing more than 200,000 people, mostly Black women. Reaching the 2030 access target could double this number. Their contribution must be recognised through proper training and support. The Roadmap sets a target for 50% of principals and practitioners at registered programmes to complete accredited training and leadership development by 2030.

The roadmap calls for stronger, better-aligned cross-sector partnerships – bringing together government, donors, non-profit organisations (NPOs), and private actors behind a unified national plan.

The Bana Pele mass registration drive has helped more than 8,500 ECD programmes achieve formal registration. This will unlock the additional R10bn that National Treasury has allocated to the ECD sector over the next three years, by enabling ECD programmes to access the public subsidies and thereby improve the overall quality of their services.

Additional enablers over the next year will include the tabling of the Children’s Amendment Bill in parliament, the development of new public-private partnership frameworks, and efforts to cut red tape at the municipal level.

While additional funding is essential, it is equally important to ensure that resources are allocated effectively. The proposal to increase the subsidy given to every child in an ECD centre from R17 to R24 per day could support up to 700,000 children from low-income households. The sector is also advancing results-based financing approaches. The R600m ECD Outcomes Fund is a key step in shifting focus from inputs to measurable improvements.

The Roadmap commits to ensuring that 50% of ECD programmes adopt a quality curriculum supported by guiding resources.The target is to reduce by 30% the number of children falling significantly behind in key developmental areas, and to increase the number who are on track by 10%.

Delivering on the promise of universal access to quality programmes will require sustained focus, co-ordinated delivery, and an unwavering commitment to putting children first.

Real progress will depend on strong partnerships, bold leadership, and clear accountability. When children are supported to reach their full potential, the impact ripples outward to families, communities, and the country as a whole.

 Siviwe Gwarube is minister of basic education.