Acknowledgements

The Bana Pele Shared Blueprint to Achieve Universal Access to Quality Early Learning was developed through a collaborative process with partners across government, civil society and the private sector. This partnership, built on decades of experience in the early learning sector, reflects the spirit of collective action needed to achieve the goals set out in the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes and the ambition of the Bana Pele Leadership Summit. The DBE led the development process of this Blueprint.

Reference Group
The Reference Group provided critical guidance and expertise throughout the development of this Blueprint. We extend our sincere appreciation to the following members:

Kulula Manona (Chief Director: Foundations for Learning, DBE), Janeli Kotze (Director: ECD, DBE), Nozipho Chiliza (Director: ECD, Eastern Cape Department of Education), Phumelele Tloubatla (Director: ECD, Gauteng Department of Education), Vanencia Chiloane (Technical Advisor: ECD, DBE), Tebogo Chake (Bana Pele PMU), Tammy Chetty (Bana Pele PMU), Zaheera Mohamed (Ilifa Labantwana), Rebecca Hickman (SmartStart), Grace Leach (National Treasury), Yatin Nana (Bana Pele PMU), Candice Potgieter (The Unlimited Child), Marc Aguirre (HOPE worldwide), Tracy Chambers (Grow ECD), Carley Symms (ELMA Philanthropies), Lerato Shai (Harambee), Puleng Motsoeneng (Ntataise), Mosuoe Sekonyela (Harambee), Sonja Giese (DataDrive2030), Grace Matlhape (SmartStart), Tshepo Mantje (Equality Collective), Nomsa Muthaphuli (Oppenheimer Memorial Trust), Ketso Gordhan (SA SME Fund), Darshana Pema (ELMA Philanthropies) and Siven Maslamoney (Executive Lead: ECD, Yellowwoods).

Anchor Group
The Anchor Group led the research and drafting of the Blueprint:

Grace Leach (National Treasury), Vanencia Chiloane (Technical Advisor: ECD, DBE), Yatin Nana (Bana Pele PMU), Tshepo Mantje (Equality Collective) and Darshana Pema (ELMA Philanthropies).

Steering Group
The Steering Group provided strategic oversight and cohesion:

Janeli Kotze (Director: ECD, DBE), Siven Maslamoney (Executive Lead: ECD, Yellowwoods) and Sanjay Purohit (CEO and Chief Curator, Centre for Exponential Change).

Technical Support
Technical support was provided by the Yellowwoods-Centre for Exponential Change partnership:

Nokuzola Jenness (Yellowwoods), Preeti Sunderajan (Centre for Exponential Change) and Ashcharya Prabhu (Centre for Exponential Change).

Editing and Project Management
Karin Johansson, Noxolo Sibiya.

Feedback and Collaboration

This document was strengthened through multiple rounds of consultation and collaboration, including 38 detailed public responses and valuable input from partner organisations. Engagement extended beyond formal submissions, with more than 150 people attending the Shared Blueprint webinar while the document was downloaded more than 200 times, reflecting broad interest and shared ownership of the direction set out here.

The final chapter of this Blueprint is a call to action. As a living document, it will continue to evolve and grow with the contributions of all partners in early learning. Our gratitude extends to all those who are helping bring this vision to life and to those who will join the journey ahead.

Mr. H.M. Mweli
Director-General, Department of Basic Education