Mass Registration Drive

In January 2024, the Minister of Basic Education announced a new mass registration drive for ECD programmes. This means that government will support registration of ECD programmes by using a simpler and user-friendly online registration system.

The goal is to pull every ECD programme into the regulatory net, and to support ECD programmes in all communities to comply with legal requirements, by recognising the different contexts in which they operate.

The new Mass Registration process will be implemented in a phased approach to ensure complete testing of the new enabling tools in the pilot sites in Gauteng. The pilot will shape and guide the final roll-out programme to be delivered in partnership with Provinces and the ECD sector.

Please keep checking this page as new information and resources will be added on a regular basis.

The new registration process will still be guided by the three tiers of Bronze, Silver and Gold to complete an ECD programme registration. Details of the new registration system continue to be in cycle of design and improvement, and the DBE is totally committed to a transparent and consultative process with provinces and the sector to ensure an optimal registration programme.

The following highlights capture some of the changes to the new registration process.

Access pathways to registration

A new eCares (early childhood administration and reporting system) platform will facilitate online application, review and registration of ECD programmes.

The DBE will deploy an interactive WhatsApp messaging channel to reach unregistered ECD’s for initiating a formal registration process.

New online registration will be supported by a Contact Centre channel to guide the ECD Practitioner through the entire Bronze application stage.

The new registration process will comprise three stages through which every ECD programme will undergo.

APPLY: The ECD programme submits an application through an online form or WhatsApp Bot and receives an initial Bronze certificate.

COMPLY: The ECD programme receives site visits to check that they comply with the norms and standards, and submits remaining documentation.

COMPLETE: The ECD programme receives a Silver or Gold certificate.

The NGOs as key partners in the ECD sector will fulfil a meaningful role as we pilot and plan the roll-out of mass registration drive by sharing their capability to support and enable the ECD programmes to fulfil the application process in line with the defined requirements.

Click Here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the new mass registration process.

A partial care facility or ECD Centre may qualify for funding from the department if it complies with the norms and standards, and if it is in a community where families lack the means to provide proper shelter, food and other basic necessities of life to their children.

What you should do:

Apply for the registration or conditional registration of a partial care facility/ECD Centre at your nearest local DBE office where you will be given Form to complete.

Your application must contain the following:

• your particulars (identity number, address and telephone numbers)
• the physical and postal address of the partial care facility/ECD Centre
• the number of children that will be accommodated by the facility
• your qualifications, skills and experience
• a description of the programmes and services to be offered, including the aims and objectives

Submit the following:

• A business plan containing:
  • the business hours of the partial care facility
  • the fee structure
  • the day-care plan
  • the staff composition
  • the disciplinary policy
• The constitution containing the:
  • name of the partial care facility/ECD Centre
  • composition, powers and duties of the management
• an original copy of the approved building plans
• an emergency plan
• a clearance certificate
• a health certificate from the local municipality.

• an original copy of the approved building plans
• an emergency plan
• a clearance certificate
• a health certificate from the local municipality.

Continuous assessment visits by officials from the Department of Basic Education and the municipality will be made to your facility.

Advocating for an Early Childhood Development (ECD) center in South Africa is essential for ensuring the provision of high-quality care and education for young children. Below are some practical guidance steps which can assist in effectively advocating for your ECD center:

Know Your Center’s Needs: Begin by identifying the specific needs and challenges facing your ECD center. This could include infrastructure improvements, staffing requirements, access to resources and materials, or regulatory compliance issues. Understanding these needs will inform your advocacy efforts and help prioritize areas for improvement.

Build Relationships: Establish strong relationships with key stakeholders who can support your advocacy efforts. This may include local government officials, community leaders, parents, caregivers, and other ECD providers. Cultivate partnerships based on mutual goals and collaborate to address shared challenges.

Understand ECD Policy and Regulations: Familiarize yourself with relevant national and local policies, regulations, and guidelines governing ECD centers in the country (some of these have been shared in the resource page of this site). This includes understanding registration requirements, curriculum standards, health and safety regulations, and funding mechanisms. Advocate for policies that support the needs of ECD centers and advocate for changes where necessary.

Communicate Impact: Highlight the positive impact of your ECD center on children, families, and the community. Collect and share data, testimonials, and success stories that demonstrate the benefits of quality early childhood development. Use this evidence to advocate for increased support and investment in your center.

Engage with the Community: Involve parents, caregivers, and community members in your advocacy efforts. Hold joint community meetings with other local ECD centers, workshops, and events to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood development and the role of your ECD’s in the community. Encourage community members to become advocates for your center and involve them in decision-making processes.

Advocate for Resources: Advocate for the resources and support needed to maintain and improve your ECD center. This may include securing funding for facility upgrades, professional development opportunities for staff, access to learner-teacher support materials and resources, and support for outreach and engagement activities.

Document and Share Successes: Keep track of your ECD center’s achievements, milestones, and challenges. Document the progress made towards addressing identified needs and share this information with stakeholders, funders, and the wider community. Celebrate successes and use them to demonstrate the value of investing in early childhood education.

Be Persistent and Resilient: Advocacy is an ongoing process that requires persistence and resilience. Stay committed to your goals, even in the face of obstacles or setbacks. Continue to advocate for your ECD center and the children it serves, knowing that your efforts can make a meaningful difference in their lives.

By following these practical guidance steps, you can effectively advocate for your ECD center in South Africa, ensuring that it receives the support and resources needed to provide quality care and education for young children.

General ECD FAQ

1. What does the 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes mean for the children of South Africa? The government wants every child to be able to access a quality ECD programme. The Strategy provides a framework (plan) for all the different role players to work together to make this happen.

2. What does the 2030 Strategy mean for my programme? The 2030 Strategy wants to address the different challenges that ECD programmes face, such as registration, funding, training and materials. It provides a map for building solutions to these challenges, which will be implemented gradually over the next seven years.

3. What is an early learning programme (ELP)? An ELP is one type of ECD programme. ELPs are attended by children in a range of spaces away from their home, and include ECD centres, playgroups and day mothers. On the other hand, parent support programmes are provided to parents and caregivers to support their child’s early development, and include home visiting and parent workshops.

4. Do all ELPs have to register? Yes. The Children’s Act says that all ECD programmes need to be registered, and the DBE is prioritising this. If your programme is not registered, get in touch with the social worker from your local education department to find out how you can apply.

5. Why should I register my ELP? Registration enables an ELP to apply for the ECD subsidy for eligible children. It also makes it easier for government to make sure that different types of support – like training and materials – can reach you.

6. Has the registration system changed? Since the shift of the ECD function to DBE, the registration system has stayed the same but is now run by the provincial department of education, instead of social development. You do not have to re-register your facility or programme unless your current registration has expired. A list of provincial and district contacts to support with registration is available here.

7. What is conditional registration? If your ELP received a certificate for conditional registration, it means that it did not meet all the requirements. The certificate should show which standards were not met and how long you have to comply with them. If you are not sure, then get back in touch with your local social worker.

8. What is the ECD subsidy and how can I apply for the children at my programme? The ECD subsidy is a daily amount provided by the government for some children at ELPs. In order to qualify, the child must be eligible for the Child Support Grant. An ELP can submit an application to the local education department for the ECD subsidy, but only if the programme is fully or conditionally registered.

9. Will the government pay for upgrades to private homes where ELPs are run? No. ELPs that are run in facilities registered as non-profit organisations can apply to the local education department for the ECD maintenance grant, to help ensure their facility is safe. This grant is not available to ELPs run in private residences. The DBE is investigating wider ways of providing pre-registration support to these ELPs; for example, by funding key equipment.

10. My ELP has a Health Certificate, does that mean it is registered? No. ELPs have to comply with various processes that are run by the local municipality. These include zoning and health inspections. These processes are different to the registration process, which is run by provincial education departments through its local officials.

11. My ELP has an NPO certificate, does that mean it is registered? No it is registered as an NPO but not as a partial care facility or ECD programme. Under the Children’s Act, ELPs have to register with the provincial education department. This is a separate process to NPO registration, which is done through the department of social development. 

12. Will the DBE be establishing state-owned ELPs? In the beginning, in order to reach as many children as quickly as possible, there will be a greater focus on supporting community-based ELPs which make use of existing premises, including homes. Over time, as more government resources are made available, the DBE will focus on establishing more ELPs in purpose-built facilities, both state-owned and non-state-owned.

13. Do ECD practitioners now need to get a degree? No. The DBE is encouraging ECD practitioners to obtain an NQF Level 4 qualification, but this is not compulsory at this stage.

14. Will the DBE be providing training opportunities for ECD practitioners? Provincial education departments are working with partners to provide NQF Level 4 training for ECD Practitioners. These training opportunities will be gradually rolled out in line with avavailable funding.

15. Is there a curriculum that ELPs must implement? In 2014, the DBE produced the National Curriculum Framework for Birth to Four (sometimes called the NCF). This is a Framework which gives a broad description of the types of learning and development opportunities that all ELPs should provide. The DBE is developing supporting tools and materials to help ELPs that do not have a curriculum to implement the NCF. Other curriculums exist for ELPs, and it is important to check before using one of these that it is aligned with the NCF.

16. Is the DBE going to start employing ECD practitioners? Unlike schools, ELPs are run independently. Some are private businesses, and some are local community services that are set up as ‘voluntary associations’. This means that most ELPs are independent, and the practitioners who work there are either employed by the programme or are self-employed.

The 2024 Mass Registration Drive FAQ

1. What is the mass registration drive?

Over the next year, government will be supporting many more ECD programmes to get registered as quickly as possible. The main difference in the new system is that it easier to access and more straightforward to move through.

2. What are the aims of the mass registration drive?

The mass registration drive has four main aims:

• To enable government to pull every ECD programme into the regulatory net.
• To support ECD programmes to comply with legal requirements.
• Further down the line, to enable ECD programmes to apply for the ECD subsidy for children from low-income households.
• To make the registration process less resource-intensive for officials so that government can process registration applications faster.

3. Why do we need a mass registration drive?

Nationally at least half of all ECD programmes are not registered under the Children’s Act. This means that more than 20,000 ECD programmes operate outside the regulatory net. This particularly affects ECD programmes in low-income communities.

4. How does the mass registration drive relate to Vangasali?

The Vangasali campaign used a new Registration Framework to support more ECD programmes to register. This was a big step forward, because it recognised that gradual compliance with some registration requirements is allowed for conditional registration. The mass registration drive is replacing this campaign, but builds on the foundations laid by this approach.

5. What is the new process under the mass registration drive?

Every ECD programme will move through three stages:

APPLY: The ECD programme submits an application through an online form or WhatsApp Bot and receives an initial Bronze certificate.

COMPLY: The ECD programme receives site visits to check that they comply with the norms and standards, and submits remaining documentation.

COMPLETE: The ECD programme receives a Silver or Gold certificate.

6. What is the APPLY stage?

APPLY is the first step in the registration journey. The goal of this stage is to get every ECD programme into the system. ECD programmes that complete the APPLY stage will receive a Bronze certificate for one year, in which time the ECD programme must complete all remaining stages.

7. Can any ECD programme submit an online application?

The mass registration drive is targeting ECD programmes that already exist on the DBE’s database and so have been verified to exist. For the moment, ECD programmes should only submit an online application when they are invited to do so. In the next phase of the mass registration drive, ECD programmes that are not yet on the database will be included.

8. What is the COMPLY stage?

The COMPLY stage is the full application for Silver/Gold. During this stage, ECD programmes will:

• submit other documents that are required.
• take steps to make sure their ECD programme complies with norms and standards.
• receive site inspections by the Education District and environmental health practitioners.

9. Will templates and forms be provided?

Yes, a submission pack with templates for all forms and policies for Silver/Gold registration will be made available to ECD programmes that have received their Bronze certificate.

10. What support will there be?

Some ECD programmes might struggle with an online application form. There will be a call centre to help those who have started an application but been unable to complete it.
In addition, local NGOs with formal relationships with 20+ ECD programmes will be invited to support the mass registration drive through:

• Sharing their database of ECD programmes (in case they were missed by the Census).
• Communications and awareness to their networks.
• For APPLY: Support with online application and document uploads.
• For COMPLY: Support with document completion and site compliance.

11. When is the mass registration drive coming to my area?

The mass registration drive is currently being piloted in some areas of Gauteng. It will be rolled out to other provinces in phases. ECD programmes will be contacted directly when the roll-out reaches their area. In the meantime, programmes can keep checking back on the website below for updates and more information on how to get ready.

12. How much does it cost to register and apply for funding?

The service is free.

13. Where can I get more information?

Information, guidelines and tools will be added to DBE’s web page and the ECD Info Hub site as they become available. for the DBE page, Go to: https://www.education.gov.za/Programmes/ECD/ECDMassRegistrationDrive.aspx