Invitation to Partner for Children

ECD is on the move, and a movement is forming around it. There is a growing, unified commitment to putting children first: Bana Pele!

Recognising the profound impact of early childhood development (ECD), the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has embarked on a strategic reorientation of the education system to strengthen foundational learning. The ECD Census, the Thrive by Five Index and the Public Expenditure and Institutional Review have provided a solid evidence base to build from. The Mass Registration Drive has made significant progress in galvanising provincial action, supported by eCares, our digitised ECD management information system. This is bringing more Early Learning Programmes (ELPs) into the formal system, especially in underserved communities where children need it most.

The DBE’s 2030 Strategy provides clear direction: to achieve universal access to quality early learning for every child in South Africa. It is an ambitious but necessary goal.

Last year, I co-convened the Bana Pele Leadership Summit with Business Leadership South Africa. The Summit brought together leaders from various sectors of society to align behind a single plan to close the ECD access gap, improve quality and secure long-term funding for the sector. A key outcome was the agreement on bold, tangible targets to guide our shared mission over the next five years. The Government’s commitment to this roadmap has already been reinforced by the announcement of a R10 billion increase to the ECD subsidy over the next three years.

But the Summit was not a once-off event. It was a launchpad that has generated real momentum. Since then, we have convened the country’s largest ECD funders, who have committed to deeper collaboration in support of our shared goals. In addition, the convenors of the Summit’s commissions, together with other partners, initiated the development of this Blueprint to respond directly to three urgent questions raised at the Summit:

1. How do we transform from isolated programmes to collaboration at scale?
2. How do we accelerate this critical transformation over the next five years?
3. How do we ensure what we build is sustainable towards and beyond 2030?

This Blueprint is not a theoretical policy paper. It is a practical framework for action. It embraces the principle that no single actor, whether in government, business or civil society, can achieve these goals alone. Meaningful transformation depends on ecosystem collaboration, aligning the strengths of many in pursuit of a shared national priority.

To drive lasting impact at scale, we must also shift from linear to exponential thinking. This Blueprint outlines how. It proposes new approaches to collaboration, innovation and system orchestration. It helps each actor understand the unique value they bring, while creating platforms to connect, coordinate and co-create with others. It calls for solutions that are inclusive, grounded in local realities and driven by shared accountability.

As we move forward, let us stay guided by a simple truth: investing in our children is the most powerful investment we can make in our nation’s future.

This is an invitation to collective action, to co-create solutions that transcend any one organisation or actor. Through this journey we will learn many lessons, and we will need to regularly update this Blueprint based on what we discover. We will therefore release a new, updated version annually. But I invite all South Africans to walk this journey with us, to learn the lessons of innovation together, while placing children first, Bana Pele, and help us build an early learning ecosystem where every child can truly thrive by five.

Siviwe Gwarube
Minister of Basic Education
Republic of South Africa