Privately owned registered Early Childhood Development centers (ECDs) remain closed under level 3 lockdown, while Minister for Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation launched a campaign: Vangasali-Every Child Counts Campaign, on 2 June 2020.
The campaign is expected to target unregistered ECD centres in three phases namely: find and count (phase 1), categorise (phase 2) and intervention (phase 3), with the view of assisting them to meet the minimum norms and standards for registration, as stipulated in the Children’s Act.
Unregistered ECDs is an ongoing historical challenge in South Africa, therefore, bringing into question the timing of the campaign launch. Is it not an ill-timed public relations tactic to save face, all while condemning the ECD sector to permanent closure and more hardworking South Africans to the misery of the ever growing UIF queue?
At a Social Development Portfolio Committee meeting held on 29 May 2020, the Democratic Alliance (DA) raised the scary reality that by the time ECDs are allowed to open their doors, there will be no ECD sector left to go back to.
The DA highlighted that while registered ECDs remain closed, unregistered ECDs are popping up across the country out of sheer desperation and need for a safe place to send one’s child while many parents go back to work or are actively seeking employment.
It is naïve to think that unregistered ECDs in various communities are not currently operating.
Keeping registered ECDs closed is the most counterproductive step DSD can make in the face of their new Vangasali Campaign.
Keeping registered ECDs closed is unravelling the extensive registration work previously undertaken by government and civil society.
In the amended education regulations (see here) dated 1 June 2020, which indicates that ECDs registered to a school can open on 6 July 2020, while the Department of Social Development continues to keep privately own registered ECDs closed at level 3.
The DA maintains it position that that ECDs are to reopen under the risk adjusted approach level 3 of lockdown if they can fulfill and abide by the minimum list of Covid-19 safety protocols. Services to children are considered to be essential services as contained in the Government Gazette on 25 March 2020 and ECDs are an essential service.
Children together with staff and practitioners with health concerns should remain at home and the continued learning and development of the child is the primary responsibility of the parent and/caregiver.
The final decision to send a child to an ECD will remain with the primary parent or the court appointed guardian/caregiver.
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