The nationwide count of all early childhood development (ECD) programmes in the country has started.
The ECD Census 2021 is commissioned by the basic education department and funded by The LEGO Foundation.
The census is the first project being undertaken by the department as the responsibility of ECD shifts from the social development department.
The basic education department said the data collected during the census will assist the partners to better understand the ECD landscape in SA. This information will then be used to build a data management information system for the ECD sector and provide a basic assessment of the enabling environment for quality learning through play.
Working with foundation, Unicef and various stakeholders active in the ECD space, the government is developing policies to bring play-based learning into classrooms and preschool facilities nationwide, the department said.
It said the census will help it understand how best to unlock the power of play to learn and invest in the future during the earliest stages of children’s development.
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga urged all ECD centres to participate in the census.
TimesLIVE
