President Cyril Ramaphosa called for the creation of a collaborative framework for early childhood development (ECD), which brings together government, business, donors, ECD workers and all other social partners.

Ramaphosa was speaking during the Bana Pele 2030 Roadmap leadership summit, held in Johannesburg, where he said the framework must ensure that all role-players work together at both the provincial and municipal levels to improve access to quality early childhood education.

He explained that investing in ECD was about shaping the next generation of skilled, capable, and entrepreneurial citizens who would drive the country’s economy forward.

“ECD provides children with the foundational skills they need to build a successful future. It helps to break the cycle of poverty that is handed down from one generation to the next,” he said.

He highlighted that it is about giving children from all backgrounds the opportunity to grow into confident, capable citizens who contribute positively to society.

“Children who receive a strong start are more likely to succeed in school and the workforce, reducing societal costs in areas such as healthcare, crime prevention and welfare,” explained Ramaphosa.

Last week, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced an additional investment of R10-billion in ECD over the next three years.

“We therefore welcome this wonderful initiative for business, civil society, and government to work together to shape the future of ECD. This initiative will assist the strategic reorientation of the basic education sector to strengthen foundation learning,” he said.

He highlighted that the benefits of universal access to ECD extended beyond the education of the child, noting that it also helped to empower families to break free from the effects of poverty.

The initiative also emphasised the importance of ECD in a child's life, a period critical for cognitive and emotional development, he added.

He said by focusing on comprehensive early childhood care and education, government could mitigate the disadvantages faced by many children owing to poverty and lack of resources.

“This holistic approach will ensure that children not only receive education but also proper nutrition, healthcare, and a safe environment,” he explained.

Ramaphosa noted that investing in ECD yielded significant economic returns, pointing to studies, which he said had shown that every rand spent on early childhood education could save up to seven rands in future costs associated with remedial education, social services, and criminal justice.

“The ripple effects of a robust ECD system are felt across generations, fostering a cycle of opportunity and growth. We are determined that every child, regardless of their background or location, must have access to quality early education,” he explained.

He said it was for this reason that the Department of Basic Education launched the Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive last year.

Ramaphosa called on all ECD programmes to register with the department so that all children could receive the start in life that they needed and deserved.

He said the Mass Registration Drive was an example of cross-sectoral collaboration at work.

“We have an opportunity to rethink and restructure the entire ECD landscape, making it more effective, more inclusive, and more impactful than ever before. As South Africans, we have a clear goal for all our children: access to quality learning opportunities for an additional 1.3-million children by 2030,” he explained.