By Thapelo Molefe
President Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted that the South African government should have prioritised early childhood development when the country became a democracy.
Speaking at the Bana Pele 2030 Roadmap Leadership Summit in Johannesburg on Monday, the president acknowledged the delay, but emphasised that it was “better late than never” as the new administration had committed to significantly expanding access to early learning programmes.
“This is something we should have done 30 years ago,” Ramaphosa said.
“We have made mistakes, but it’s never too late to do the right thing. We are here today because of our shared belief in the profound importance of Bana Pele – putting children first.”
Ramaphosa’s admission set the tone for a landmark event focused on ensuring universal access to quality ECD by 2030.
He underscored the profound impact of early education, noting that investing in ECD was not just about schooling, it was about shaping the nation’s future workforce, breaking cycles of poverty and fostering economic growth.
“We are all aware that 80% of children in South Africa cannot read for meaning by the age of 10. That is unacceptable,” Ramaphosa said. “If we are serious about changing this, then ECD must be treated as an urgent priority.”
Last week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced an additional R10 billion investment ECD over the next three years during his Budget speech.
Ramaphosa has described it as a necessary step to “secure the future of our children and of South Africa itself”.
He stressed that this funding would be used to ensure that children under five received quality education, proper nutrition, healthcare and a safe learning environment.
Before introducing the president, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube addressed the summit, recalling her own childhood and emphasising the transformative power of early learning.
“The future of this country begins in early childhood development,” Gwarube declared.
“Research shows that the best return on investment is in the first five years of a child’s life. If we fail them then, we fail them forever.”
She pointed out the stark inequalities in access to ECD, with wealthier children far more likely to be developmentally on track than their peers in underprivileged communities.
“Currently, 1.3 million children between the ages of three and five are not attending any ECD programme. Most of these children come from poorer communities, which means we are entrenching inequality from the very start,” she said
“We cannot allow this disparity to continue… We must shift away from a mindset of scarcity to one of collaboration and abundance.”
Both Ramaphosa and Gwarube emphasised that achieving the ambitious goal of universal access to ECD by 2030 would require unprecedented cooperation between the government, private sector partners and civil society.
“We don’t have all the answers,” Gwarube admitted. “We need to work together, to be willing to learn, adapt and innovate. There is no playbook for getting 1.3 million more children into quality early learning. We are writing that playbook now.”
Ramaphosa echoed her call for leadership, acknowledging the challenges ahead but insisting that the country had no choice but to push forward.
“We have a clear goal: 1.3 million more children in early learning by 2030,” he stated. “If we work together, we can do it.”
“Investing in early childhood education yields significant economic returns,” Ramaphosa noted.
“Studies show that every rand spent on ECD saves up to seven rands in future costs related to remedial education, social services and criminal justice.”
The message was clear that the time to act is now, and the future of South Africa depends on it.
INSIDE EDUCATION
