A child must be exposed to early learning situations and assisted in developing the skills and ways of functioning to develop, thrive, and be ready for school. It is established that poor school readiness preparation (SRP) negatively impacts subsequent learning outcomes. A qualitative study was conducted in Gugulethu, a poor community in the Western Cape province in South Africa, to determine how Early Childhood Development centres in a poor community prepare children for schooling. The study involved a sample of 12 community-based ECD centres. Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with direct role-players, including principals, practitioners, and ECD industry key informants. Data was enriched through direct observation of operations at each facility. The study found that all the community-based ECD centres struggle to provide quality SRP. Contributing factors include limited ECD practitioner training, education resources, infrastructure, and facility management. Because these conditions relate to poverty, they affect the SRP of most children in poorer communities, such as Gugulethu, who tend to only have access to under-resourced ECD centres. The study concludes that, given the appalling performance of South Africa’s basic education system, the government has to accept that improving its learning outcomes begins with vastly improving the SRP of children from birth
New evidence suggests that over four months after the closure of early childhood development (ECD) programmes on 18 March 2020, the ECD sector was likely to be operating at less than a quarter of its pre-lockdown levels. Of the 38 percent of respondents from the new NIDS-CRAM survey reporting that children aged 0-6 in their households had attended ECD programmes before the lockdown in March, only 12 percent indicated that children had returned to these programmes by mid-July, well after programmes were allowed to reopen. Using these findings, we estimate that just 13 percent of children aged 0-6 were attending ECD programmes by mid-July to mid-August compared to 47 percent in 2018. The last time that ECD attendance rates were as low as this was in the early 2000s. At this point it is not yet clear what proportion of these declines are only temporary, or whether there will be a lasting impact on ECD enrolment in the country. This dramatic contraction in the ECD sector relates to prohibitive costs to reopening ‘safely’ imposed by the regulatory environment, coupled with shocks to the demand side for ECD programmes (both in terms of reduced household incomes and parent fears of children contracting COVID-19). When viewed from a broader socio-economic lens, the threat of ECD programme closures across the nation will have impacts beyond ECD operators to the lives of millions of children, millions of households and millions of adults who rely on these ECD services. A swift intervention by government is necessary to save this important sector and limit the ripple effect of programme closures on multiple layers of society.
Background: The professional development (PD) of early childhood teachers is of strategic importance in higher education and the profession given the need to improve responsiveness and progress towards millennium goals. Aim: The purpose was to analyse classroom practices and teachers’ experiences of PD programmes, through the theoretical lens of the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers to construct an authentic data-based model, which can be used to understand PD challenges and guide decisions about the improvement of education quality. Setting: The study was conducted in Gauteng with teachers from a selection of early childhood centres. Methods: A phenomenological inquiry explored the settings and practices of 23 selected teachers in Gauteng province. Interview and observation data were analysed for content categories and grounded theory articulations. Results: The main finding is that teachers facing everyday educational challenges benefit from school-based support and available media but need additional learning to advance their professional aspirations. The grounded theory analyses of the data highlighted that early childhood practices and articulated development needs are best explained as authentic caring. This was conceptualised metaphorically as garden spaces where careful tending, deliberate planning and various elements of nurturing knowledge may harmoniously be blended. The model extends prevailing theories of PD and the flipped ICT Competency Framework for Teachers. Conclusion: The model of authentic caring is a grounded theory articulation based upon beliefs of practising EC teachers. Contribution: The article provides a comprehensive online teacher professional development framework for EC teachers, emphasising authenticity, care and alignment with global educational standards.
Knowledge sharing in medical education is a continuous exchange of skills and expertise between scientists.Paediatric virology is a rapidly developing, new scientific field of medicine, which enhances multidisciplinary, expertise knowledge sharing between paediatric health professionals and scientists of different subspecialties.The present review discusses the recent core topics in paediatric viral infectious diseases discussed during the 11th Workshop on Paediatric Virology organised by the Institute of Paediatric Virology and presents its key messages, including: i) The history of smallpox vaccination; ii) the role of viral co-infections triggering invasive bacterial diseases; iii) the surge of invasive group A streptococcal disease during the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era; iv) foetal brain imaging findings in maternal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection; v) the diabetogenic role of Coxsackie viruses in childhood; vi) adenovirus-related central nervous system manifestations in the paediatric population; vii) new challenges and opportunities of hepatis D virus infection in children; viii) the Swedish up-to-date human papillomavirus vaccination experience in childhood.
Ioannis Mammas, Anna Kramvis, Anastasia Stouraiti et al.
How to cite: Du Plooy, L 2026, ‘The benefits and hurdles of integrating STEAM in early childhood development: An analysis of selected literature’, in T Moodley, S Stofile & R Govender (eds.), Holistic and inclusive education practices for young learners in South Africa: From early childhood to Foundation Phase, The University of the Western Cape Faculty of Education Book Series, vol. 2, AOSIS Books, Cape Town, pp. 45–61. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2026.BK568.03
How to cite: Nondalana-Vuzane, N & Stofile, S 2026, ‘Unlocking the role of isiXhosa idioms in early childhood learning and development’, in T Moodley, S Stofile & R Govender (eds.), Holistic and inclusive education practices for young learners in South Africa: From early childhood to Foundation Phase, The University of the Western Cape Faculty of Education Book Series, vol. 2, AOSIS Books, Cape Town, pp. 103–122. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2026.BK568.06
<span>In a journey towards reaching universal access to early childhood development (ECD) services in South Africa, the recent 2030 ECD Strategy (Department of Basic Education of the Republic of South Africa, 2023) proposes targets for enrolment in early childhood care or educational (ECCE) opportunities. The 2030 ECD strategy acknowledges that meeting expansion targets will require significant financial, infrastructural and human resource investments. Against this context, this research report provides further specificity on the human resource requirements needed to support targeted access to specifically early learning programmes (ELPs) as expressed in the 2030 ECD Strategy. The first aim of this report is to identify the current supply of ECD practitioners under current enrolment conditions, considering the size of the existing ECD workforce and the levels of training and qualifications among the existing ECD workforce. The second objective is to identify the demand for ECD practitioners under targeted enrolment conditions in South Africa.</span> <br>
How to cite: Levin, J & Moodley, T 2026, ‘Scaffolding early childhood development through storytelling and play in a Waldorf kindergarten’, in T Moodley, S Stofile & R Govender (eds.), Holistic and inclusive education practices for young learners in South Africa: From early childhood to Foundation Phase, The University of the Western Cape Faculty of Education Book Series, vol. 2, AOSIS Books, Cape Town, pp. 163–183. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2026.BK568.09
Abstract The delivery of high-quality education is considerably aided by effective school management, which includes managing finances. Understanding financial management in early childhood education (ECE) is crucial and essential given that high-quality ECE is now recognised as a foundation for successful higher education and productive adulthood. This study aimed at exploring township early childhood development centre principals' experiences with their financial management responsibilities. Four early childhood development centres were purposively selected from the township areas in Gauteng Province, South Africa, using a qualitative research approach and case study design. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with the principals of the selected centres. The findings demonstrate that the ECD principals have limited knowledge of financial management responsibilities and that there is no formal legal framework for financial management at ECD centres. Township ECD financial management practices include planning (identifying needs), organising (fees paid into the bank account and procurement made through bank card) and reporting (giving accounts to the board of directors and parents). In this study, it can be concluded that township ECD principals are making an effort to ensure effective financial management of their centres. However, several obstacles, including the principals' lack of accounting expertise, their heavy workload, the non-payment of school fees, and the absence of a financial management legislative framework, prevent ECD centres' effective and efficient financial management.
Background: In South Africa, the Department of Basic Education removed the non-profit organisation (NPO) registration mandate for early childhood development (ECD) programmes. The aim was to alleviate administrative burdens. If the messaging is not received correctly, it could lead to the inaccurate belief that all programmes are subsidy-eligible without any formal registration, potentially risking the quality and sustainability of ECD services. Aim: This study investigated the determinants influencing the decision of ECD centres to register as NPOs prior to the NPO registration mandate. Setting: A nationwide ECD census was conducted in all nine South African provinces. Methods: Data from 39 176 centres were analysed quantitatively to investigate the association between ECD centre registration as an NPO and various independent variables. Results: The findings show that 68.34% of ECD centres were registered as NPOs. The odds ratio (OR) of receiving a subsidy (OR 10.17; 7.82–13.22), having a bank account (OR 4.20; CI 3.01–5.72) and the ECD programme being part of a wider network (OR 1.81; CI 1.46–2.26) were strong predictors of ECD NPO registration. Conclusion: Subsidies matter in encouraging ECD centres to formalise their operations. ECDs that are part of wider networks have an opportunity to access resources, information and support that can enhance operational effectiveness. Contribution: The study provides empirical evidence to guide policy decisions and resource allocation, which can potentially lead to improved service quality and access to resources for children and families to support the growth and sustainability of the ECD sector in South Africa.
