Cape Town - The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) says it is ready for a smooth transition of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) function from its fold to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) come April 1.
The shift of responsibility follows the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation address in 2019 that the ECD function would be moving from the DSD to the DBE.
In announcing that it was ready for the move, the DSD said it had implemented relevant procedures to ensure that the function shift took place as smoothly as possible.
In a statement, the DSD said that so far, it had facilitated the transfer of contacts and Memorandum of Understandings from the DSD to the Western Cape DBE, handed overall business architecture (Standard Operating Procedures), databases and required documentation to WCED, among other processes.
DSD spokesperson Joshua Chigome said: “Early Childhood Development is critical as it provides a vehicle for early intervention and child protection. It provides the conditions necessary for the realisation of the right of every infant and child to develop their potential to the maximum extent possible.
“ECD also works to lay the foundation for lifelong learning as a means to reduce childhood poverty, and an opportunity to develop the skills and competencies required for economic opportunities in later life.”
While all ECD services will move over to WCED, partial care services will remain with the provincial DSD. The DSD will also continue to render child care protection and support to families within the broader area of ECD.
“No significant major changes will be made to the operational aspects and service delivery model for ECD in the first two years to ensure a smooth transition,” Chigome said.