Agency Prepares Early Childhood Development Professionals for 'Saving' Primary Education Learning Adaptations
South Africa's Department of Basic Education (DBE) has significantly increased its efforts to strengthen foundational learning across the country by scaling up training for early childhood development (ECD) practitioners.
In the 2021/22 financial year, 930 ECD practitioners were trained, a number that increased to 11,681 in the following year. The training continued to grow in the 2023/24 financial year, with 3,140 practitioners being trained in qualifications aligned to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 4. This trend continued in the 2024/2025 financial year, with 2,670 practitioners being trained on the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for children aged birth to four.
The department's commitment to ECD practitioner training has been consistent, with 1,345 practitioners trained in qualifications aligned to the NQF level 4 in the 2022/23 financial year and 4,905 practitioners in the 2019/20 financial year. However, due to Covid-related disruptions, no training in qualifications aligned to the NQF level 4 was conducted in the 2020/21 financial year.
The DBE's focus on ECD practitioner training gained momentum in April 2022 when the ECD function was shifted from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education. Since then, the department and provincial education departments have prioritized the professional development of ECD practitioners to improve the quality of foundational learning.
In response to a parliamentary question from MP Delmaine Chelsey Christians, the DBE confirmed its ongoing training of ECD practitioners. This year (2025), the department reported training 2,374 ECD practitioners in qualifications aligned to the NQF level 4.
While there is no specific public information available on any increase in ECD practitioner training by the DBE following the ECD function shift from the Department of Social Development in April 2022, the department's consistent and significant increase in training suggests a strong commitment to this area. Further official publications from South Africa’s DBE or government communications would be needed to confirm and quantify any such increases.
Sources: 1. UNICEF South Africa assignments supporting children’s development for the period 2022–2025. 2. Various international training programs and educational conferences.
The ongoing training of Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners by South Africa's Department of Basic Education (DBE) is not only limited to foundational learning but also extends to education-and-self-development and personal-growth, as evidenced by their qualifications aligned to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 4. This year (2025), the department reported training 2,374 ECD practitioners in such qualifications, signifying a continuous learning journey for these practitioners.
