South Africa is at a crossroads in its commitment to improve educational outcomes. Despite evidence that early childhood development (ECD) programmes lay the foundation for future academic success, economic mobility and national development, access to them remains deeply unequal.
More than 1.3-million children are not attending any form of ECD programme. This means that when they arrive for their first day of school, they are already years behind their peers, lacking foundational literacy, numeracy and cognitive skills.
At the Bana Pele ECD Roadmap Leadership Summit — co-hosted by myself and Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) — we agreed to move beyond rhetoric and symbolic commitments. The summit was not about pledges; it was about crafting a clear, actionable roadmap that will ensure universal access to quality ECD across the country by 2030.
The case for investing in ECD is undeniable. Studies consistently show that every rand spent on early learning yields long-term economic and social returns. Children who receive quality early education are more likely to perform well in school, to graduate from a secondary education, and to contribute productively to society. They are also less likely to experience poverty, unemployment and run-ins with the criminal justice system.
Beyond its effect on child development, ECD is a driver of gender equality and economic growth. Affordable childcare allows millions of women to go to work, while the sector itself employs more than 200,000 practitioners, mostly black women. Expanding access to ECD will create thousands more jobs — not only in teaching, but in infrastructure development, nutrition and administrative support positions too.
ECD in South Africa is fragmented, underfunded and beset by regulatory hurdles. Many community-based centres struggle to access subsidies because they are not registered with the department of basic education. Without registration there will be no structured co-ordination and investment, meaning we will not achieve universal ECD access by 2030.
The reality that ideologues refuse to accept is that we cannot rely solely on the government to close the funding gap in ECD education. While it has committed an additional R10bn to raise the per-child subsidy and expand access, this alone will not be enough.
The way forward is a jointly-agreed ECD roadmap — a partnership between government, business, donors and civil society. The summit provided the perfect opportunity to formalise this by establishing structures for collaboration and joint accountability.
We must will pool resources and expertise, ensuring that the government, the private sector and donors work together to improve access and quality.
At the summit, we agreed on data-driven approaches to ensure the most vulnerable children benefit from subsidies and investments. We are also ramping up ECD registration and compliance — making it easier, not harder, for ECD centres to access funding and deliver quality services.
We will also strengthen workforce development and invest in training, support and fair remuneration for ECD practitioners, who play a crucial role in shaping the country’s future.
This is not just an education issue — it's a national development imperative. If we fail to act, we will be condemning another generation of children to a cycle of disadvantage
Finally, we will ensure long-term sustainability by moving beyond short-term corporate social investment (CSI) projects to structured, scalable financing models — including blended finance and public-private co-investment through the outcomes fund.
The Bana Pele mass registration drive has demonstrated the power of structured collaboration. By aligning government subsidies, donor funding and private sector investment, it has allowed thousands of ECD centres to meet registration requirements and unlock financial support.
Similarly, the Education Outcomes Fund, which commits R600m to measurable ECD improvements, is pioneering results-based financing — where investments are tied to real learning outcomes rather than just infrastructure or materials. These models must now be expanded and embedded in long-term planning.
Historically, private sector engagement in ECD has been fragmented and philanthropic. While commendable, one-off donations and CSI projects do not create the systems-wide change needed to ensure universal access to quality ECD. Businesses must recognise that investing in early learning is not charity — it’s a strategic investment in workforce development and national prosperity.
The 2030 Bana Pele Roadmap Leadership Summit is an opportunity for a step change and to move from fragmented efforts to a unified national strategy.
This is not just an education issue — it's a national development imperative. If we fail to act, we will be condemning another generation of children to a cycle of disadvantage.
But if we succeed and build a co-ordinated, well-resourced ECD system, we will not only transform the future of these children but also lay the foundation for a stronger, more equitable South Africa.
The summit was not a talk shop because the time for talk is over. It was action-orientated, and we crafted a roadmap with real measurable milestones. We are forging a social compact together — and we are committed to ensuring every child, in every corner of this country, gets the early start they deserve.
• Gwarube is minister of basic education
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