Early childhood development challenges and the proposed Ten-Nodal Point Regulatory Compliance Framework

The study investigated the proliferation of unlicensed ECD (Early Childhood Development) Centres in Marondera Urban Ward 4. A sample of ten unlicensed ECD operators was drawn from a population of forty unlicensed ECD operators. The study was prompted by the high proliferation rate of the unlicensed ECD Centres in Marondera Urban Ward 4 for the past five years. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from the unlicensed ECD operators. Interviews were used to collect data from Marondera Urban Ward 4 councillors and Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) officer at Marondera MoPSE provincial offices. The data was analysed and presented in tables, charts and narratives. The results show that the councillor and the MoPSE were aware of the problem of the proliferation of unlicensed ECD Centres in Marondera Ward 4. The findings ECD business was dominated by women in Zimbabwe and no wonder why women were running the majority of unlicensed ECD Centres in Marondera Urban Ward 4. Women are perceived as the gender that was afraid to commit offences or crimes, but results show that they were bold to commit offences. Due to the harsh economic environment in Zimbabwe, women and men were alike in committing offences to provide for their families and survivors. Operating unlicensed ECD Centres was operating an informal business. The economic environment, personal motivation, the ease with which the ECD Centres could be established, and the relaxation of law enforcement agents were the main drivers of the proliferation of ECD centres in Marondera Urban. The study recommended that MoPSE and other stakeholders in the registration of ECD centres should amend the current ECD Centre registration policy and procedures to suit the current economic environment without compromising the health and safety of the ECD pupils. The government should give incentives to registered ECD Centres that may motivate unlicensed ECD operators to get licensed. The MoPSE and local authorities should involve ECD operators when formulating policies.

Objectives: the ethnography study was undertaken to assess the situation early childhood education development centre (ECED) based on community and school as per ECED minimum standard and also to explore teaching pedagogy, infrastructure and environment of teaching at ECEDs. Similarly this study also tries to identify the challenges and issues to implement the ECED minimum standards.Method: a qualitative research design was applied for this evaluation research. The primary data were gathered through interview and observation. Conclusion: from the effectiveness perspective learning environment of early childhood development centre for children is satisfactory at home as well early childhood development (ECD) centre due to parental care. From the sustainability, ECD management committee are starting to collect fund for ECD centre (Admission and monthly fee), ECD management committee has clarity of organizational vision. ECD centers have been found to have trained and experienced ECD facilitator and are able to get Government quota for sustainability of center running cost and similarly from the equity, most of ECD parents are belong to marginal families whose children benefit from ECD center and since they cannot afford costly Montessori, children of marginal family can also afford quality education in ECD centers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijssm.v1i3.10585 Int. J. Soc. Sci. Manage. Vol.1(3) 2014: 103-107

Systems ensure the attainment of goals at any educational level, including quality early childhood education. Various studies focus on the benefits and components of quality early childhood education, yet none emphasise systems that will support early childhood development (ECD) centres in offering quality education. This study explored existing systems that support ECD centres in providing quality education to young children. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and collected data through document analysis and face-to-face interviews with eight participants purposively selected from four ECD centres situated in Pretoria. The data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that national policies, internally generated policies and financial systems support the participating centres in offering quality education. However, many of the participants did not know the existing national policies. The findings also revealed that ECD centres in the township area do not have financial systems to help them provide quality education. The study recommends effective implementation strategies to foster awareness and enforce strict adherence to government policies at ECD centres. The study contributes to awareness and adherence to quality early childhood education by suggesting that ECD centres, principals and teachers should engage in relevant and practical training on effectively establishing systems from the available national education policies that will help them offer quality education.Contribution: This study adds to the body of knowledge by filling in the gaps on how ECD principals and teachers understand national policies and translate them into systems that assist them in managing their centres on a daily basis. The novelty of this study is the empirical input from different disciplines (Early Childhood Education and Management and Policies Studies), in a way that enables one to comprehend the role of educational management and policies studies at the early childhood learning centres in South Africa, which is the emphasis of the Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa.

This study reports on the process evaluation of an oral health promotion intervention for educators (principals and teachers) at early childhood development (ECD) centres within a low-socioeconomic community in South Africa. This approach was based on the premise that oral health literacy plays a significant role in shaping personal health and serves as an impetus to influence change in others. Using a cross-sectional, descriptive study design, 91 educators participated in the oral health intervention as part of their 1-year ECD training programme. The pre-test questionnaire measured perceived dental status, oral health-related knowledge, attitudes and practices and impact of oral health problems on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The post-test questionnaire evaluated the usefulness of the oral health workshop to participants, intentions for personal change as well as for the inclusion of oral health in their ECD centre programme. Participants reported: having their natural teeth (80%), being happy with their mouth (56.2%), having oral problems (34%), inadequate oral hygiene practices (43%), dental visits when symptomatic (74%), a compromised OHRQoL and inadequate knowledge of oral problems experienced. Oral health promotion activities at ECD centres were limited, with only 34% reporting on toothbrushing programmes. Following the intervention, participants reported positively on aspects such as, the value of the workshop for themselves and their ECD centres, intentions for personal change to hygiene practices (56%), dietary practices (76%) and dental visits (63%). The incorporation of oral health education in their ECD centres was mentioned by most educators. Daily toothbrushing was noted by up to 40% while some highlighted their engagement with parents. Building oral health literacy among educators has the potential for personal change and serves as an impetus to introduce oral health promotion programmes at ECD centres. The findings may be used to advocate for oral health partnerships with established community-based structures to increase access to oral care in ECD centres in underserved communities.

<div><p><em>The aim of the study was to analyse the resource and environment challenges faced by Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres within Gweru Urban high density suburbs. Availability of resources and quality of the environment are crucial components in the holistic development of all children (Bruce, 2004). This study sought to establish the specific nature of resources and environment challenges currently faced by ECD centres in the Gweru urban high density suburbs. In order to establish the dimensions and nature of this phenomenon, the study adopted the mixed method approach which used interviews, questionnaires, observations and document analyses to collect data. Six (6) ECD administrators from six (6) ECD centres and thirty (30) ECD teachers from ECD centres in Gweru High Density Suburbs were purposively sampled for the study. Results showed that inadequate provision of resource and environment requirements had bedevilled centres in the high density suburbs. The centres lacked funding resulting in failure to provide a suitable environment and needed resources. The teacher-pupil ratio was as high as 1:50 which was above the 1:20 ratio stated in the Statutory Instrument 106 of 2005. The study recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should not allow ECD centres to operate without meeting the requirements for ECD establishment. Parents and other stakeholders were also encouraged to contribute towards funding, construction and acquisition of resources for ECD centres. The study also recommended that government and council should provide free land for the establishment of ECD centres for both public and private centres. </em></p></div>

This chapter presents the systematic review of whole-childhood education in South Africa. The review was guided by two research questions: (1) How Apartheid influenced whole-childhood development in South Africa, and (2) How post-apartheid policies brought a desirable change in the whole-childhood development. Desktop review of government documents, commissioned research, reviews, and research on whole-childhood development was conducted. The findings reveal poor provision; generally, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers and families are heavily stricken by poverty which contributes to the disadvantage of their children as compared to their counterparts in well-resourced ECD centers, underpaid ECD practitioners, uneven distribution of the resources, minimal ECD government subsidy, unemployment, reluctance of the government in implementing the existing policies on inequality in ECD centers. Whole-childhood development in South Africa is scarred by poverty from birth to 17 years of age. This review, therefore, recommends that the government: deals decisively with poverty and unemployment; supports ECD centers with resources equally, i.e., infrastructure and qualified practitioners; include ECD practitioners on the pay-roll; to set the minimum level of qualification for entry ECD practitioners. Also, the government needs to enhance the quality of education offered to all children purposefully.

Adequate and diverse diets are essential for children’s physical and cognitive development, yet food insecurity and malnutrition continue to threaten this fundamental right, which remains a pressing concern in many resource-poor settings. This study investigated food and nutrition security in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Makhanda, South Africa, through a community-based participatory research approach. Using a mixed-methods approach combining questionnaire interviews, focus group discussions, direct observations, and community asset mapping across eight ECD centres enrolling 307 children aged 0–5 years, the study engaged ECD facilitators and analysed dietary practices across these centres. Results indicated that financial constraints severely affect the quality and diversity of food provided at the centres, thus undermining the ability to provide nutritionally adequate meals. The average amount spent on food per child per month at the centres was R90 ± R25 (South African Rand). Although three meals were generally offered daily, cost-driven dietary substitutions with cheaper, less diverse alternatives, often at the expense of nutritional value, were common. Despite guidance from Department of Health dieticians, financial limitations contributed to suboptimal feeding practices, with diets dominated by grains and starchy foods, with limited access to and rare consumption of protein-rich foods, dairy, and vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables. ECD facilitators noted insufficient parental contributions and low engagement in supporting centre operations and child nutrition provision, indicating a gap in awareness and limited nutrition knowledge regarding optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. The findings emphasise the need for sustainable, multi-level and community-led interventions, including food gardening, creating ECD centre food banks, parental nutrition education programmes, and enhanced financial literacy among ECD facilitators. Strengthening local food systems and establishing collaborative partnerships with communities and policymakers are essential to improve the nutritional environment in ECD settings. Similarly, enhanced government support mechanisms and policy-level reforms are critical to ensure that children in resource-poor areas receive adequate nutrition. Future research should focus on scalable, locally anchored models for sustainable child nutrition interventions that are contextually grounded, community-driven, and should strengthen the resilience of ECD centres in South Africa.

Background: South Africa has migrated the responsibility for early childhood development (ECD) centres from the Department of Social Services to the Department of Basic Education. This functional shift has ushered in consultations and discussions on how best to implement ECD, including opportunities the change may bring.Aim: By anchoring the understanding of ECD services in nurturing care, this study aimed to elucidate the provision of appropriate, inclusive services in early childhood development, including early childhood intervention, for children with disabilities in South Africa against the backdrop of the migration of services from one government ministry to another.Methods: This is an analytical article based on South African literature on ECD services, including interventions, with particular attention to children with disabilities, basing our understanding of these services in nurturing care.Results: We elucidate how the ideals of the Nurturing Care Framework can be achieved in the context of children with disabilities in South Africa using five themes: the need to localise services, developing tools and strategies for screening and early intervention, enhancing the efficacy of caregivers, supporting and training staff and collaborations.Conclusion: It is necessary to empower caregivers and professionals to address early childhood intervention and ECD needs of children with disabilities. Early childhood development centres are an important context for nurturing care, providing opportunities to promote and sustain health amongst a large number of children. Considering the function shift of ECD services in South Africa, these centres are well positioned to further nurturing care to children with disabilities through the provision of supportive environments that promote health and well-being.

Background: Early childhood development (ECD) centres play a crucial role in children’s well-being. Multifaceted obstacles hinder ECD centres registration. Overcoming these challenges demands a multisectoral approach to ensure quality education for all children.Aim: This study provides an overview of the quality of ECD centres in South Africa, and then focusses on the specific obstacles ECD centres face in registering their centres with the Department of Social Development (DSD).Setting: An ECD census was conducted in nine South African provinces.Methods: This study analysed data from the South Africa ECD Census (2021). The sample size was 42 420; however, this study analysed data for 39 375 for centres who responded to whether they were registered with the DSD across all South Africa’s nine provinces. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Only 16% of ECD centres were in the formal registration process, while 43% were not registered. Barriers included no bank account, a lack of separate classes, and insufficient staff. In multivariate analysis, the absence of a bank account strongly predicted registration barriers (RRR 4.21; CI 6.37–7.62, p 0.05).Conclusion: This study underscores the critical role of ECD centres in shaping the foundational aspects of children’s lives. There is an urgent need to streamline the ECD registration process.Contribution: The study finds 43% of childcare centres were unregistered, supporting the call for simplified registration to improve access to quality education and reduce educational disparities in South Africa.

Good water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) enhance healthy living and safe environments for child development. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on WASH status, knowledge, attitudes and practices in early child development (ECD) centres in low socio-economic areas in the Nelson Mandela Bay in 2021. This quasi-experimental, one group, pre-post-test study elicited responses from 51 ECD practitioners (1 per ECD centre). Telephonic structured knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) questionnaires were used. KAP was good among participants. The educational intervention significantly improved mean knowledge (p<0.001, 95% CI: 0.58-1.11) attitudes (p<0.001, 95% CI: 0.39-0.67) and practices (p = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.20-0.74). WASH knowledge was significantly impacted by toilet facilities ventilation status (p = 0.083) while WASH attitudes scores were significantly impacted by ventilation where the potties are kept (p = 0.041). WASH practice scores were significantly impacted by across the bush/field (no facility) (p = 0.021) and plastic potties usage (p = 0.057). The educational intervention significantly improved WASH-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among ECD practitioners. WASH conditions in the ECD centres in the study area require additional interventions targeted to sustainable strategies to enhance behavioural modifications for acceptability and sustainability of intervention strategies.

This paper examined empirical data from research conducted in South Africa about problems induced by the global outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021 to Entrepreneurial Leadership in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for sustainable development of the sector. A desktop analysis method was employed in this paper to review the report by ‘Ilifa Labantwana’, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Early Childhood Education for sustainable development in South Africa during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The researchers discovered that the lengthy COVID-19 lockdown restrictions exposed gaps in government, ECE school leaders, parents and the other stakeholders’ preparedness for survival, focus, continuity, and resilience in times of unexpected pandemics. The paper relied on data from the desk research, which may not have been collected from the desired setting or time. The researcher had no control over the data and may therefore only provide partial analysis in terms of precision due to lack of triangulation. The paper’s findings described the importance of change in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and Entrepreneurial leaders to take risks associated with the change which requires support. The paper has theoretical implications in empowering the leaders’ survival strategies in ECD centres. It further recommends new leadership directions for other leaders. The paper is an attempt to develop survival strategies during turbulent times in ECD centres and improves the level of preparedness against natural disasters in developed and developing countries.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are vital indicators to healthy living and safe environments for child development. The aim of the study was to determine WASH status and practices in ECD centres located in low socio-economic areas of Nelson Mandela Bay during 2017. This cross-sectional study elicited responses from 46 ECD centres which had a total of 3,254 children and 172 caregivers. A structured questionnaire and visual observation were used. Using core WASH in schools' indicators (WinS) showed that despite improved water sources being available in 91% of the facilities, WinS for hygiene was poor. The study observed that 57% of the respondents had improved toilets accommodating both genders. In 29% of ECD centres, 6–10 children make use of a ‘pottie’ while in 9% of the cases, more than 20 children make use of one ‘pottie’. The use of the bucket system was noted in 22% of the ECD centres. In 79% of the ECD centres, children wash their hands in a communal plastic bowl. Only 11% of the study population washed hands hygienically under a running tap or tippy tap. WASH conditions in the ECD centres in the study area require urgent attention and further investigation for practical solutions. This article has been made Open Access thanks to the generous support of a global network of libraries as part of the Knowledge Unlatched Select initiative.

Background: The occupation of education prepares children for adulthood. Each child has the right to education, which has the power to end intergenerational cycles of poverty and inequality. However, poor access to and quality of education at early childhood development (ECD) centres continue to prevail in marginalised communities in South Africa. Aim: This study aimed to identify the challenges experienced by ECD practitioners and coordinators regarding the quality of their ECD programme. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive enquiry was conducted with six purposively sampled participants from an ECD organisation in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with practitioners from under-resourced ECD centres from Bloemfontein, rural towns, and the organisation's ECD coordinator. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim. Deductive content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Four themes were identified from interview data: (i) teaching and learning; (ii) management and leadership; (iii) ECD environment; and (iv) ECD legislation and policies. Practitioners indicated that they wanted to improve their qualifications and have access to a contextually relevant programme with appropriate resources. Conclusion: If the expressed challenges were addressed on an inter-professional collaborative platform, the quality of this ECD service could be improved. Keywords: teaching and learning; early childhood development; ECD policy and legislation; ECD practitioners; ECD programme; occupational therapy; South Africa

The reading challenges children face in the lower grades of primary school in South Africa are well publicised. Children’s literature is critical in early childhood education, supporting growth in multiple domains. The study aimed to explore the implementation of Grade R children’s literature curricula at selected early childhood development (ECD) centres in Johannesburg. Four Grade R teachers teaching at different ECD centres were chosen as the study’s participants. The four ECD centres selected were in demographically disparate areas of Johannesburg. Two followed the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) curriculum, one followed the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) curriculum, and one followed the Reggio-Montessori curriculum. The study is a generic qualitative inquiry, and data were generated using semi-structured interviews with Grade R teachers at the ECD centres, observations of lessons, and document analysis. Three themes emerged from the data analysis. Firstly, the Grade R children’s literature curricula’s content, design, and implementation aim to develop children holistically. Secondly, Grade R teachers use different methods to teach children’s literature. Finally, Grade R teachers pay close attention to their classroom contexts when planning and executing children’s literature lessons. The authors conclude that the architecture of the children’s literature curriculum at the selected centres is a complex function of various factors. These include the content of the curriculum, the methods used by the teachers in delivering it, and the teacher’s responses to the contexts in which they teach.

BackgroundThe use of indigenous food (IF) such as green leafy vegetables and fruits in rural communities has been the primary source of their diet despite being replaced by food high in sugar and fats. South Africans are over-reliant on maize and should diversify their diets to include more indigenous fruits and vegetables to improve nutrition. Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers positively influence healthy eating among children under five years. This study aimed for ECD stakeholders to co-create an IF diet for children under five in ECD centers.MethodA sequential explanatory mixed-method design was employed. We conducted focus group discussions with stakeholders using the community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and the nominal group technique ranking method to develop children's acceptable indigenous food diet. Data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. We employed a thematic approach to analyze data using a Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (intervention characteristics, inner setting, outer setting, individuals involved in implementation, and the implementation process. We used statistical analysis to analyze quantitative data collected through surveys.ResultsParticipants developed an IF diet. Participants were six ECD stakeholders (ECD managers, social workers, and dieticians) aged 34-52. Participants identified and voted for Ditokomane, Oranges, Mabele soft porridge, Dithotse, and Dinawa as components of an IF that are suitable and acceptable for children under five years as an IF diet appropriate and adequate for children under five years ECD centers will implement.ConclusionImplementation of the developed IF diet can be considered an intervention towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and sustainable agriculture. The study suggests that the IF diet could scale up the use of IF to fulfill dietary requirements for children under five years and preserve indigenous knowledge.