The Legal Resource Centre (LRC) says the Children’s Act may need a major overhaul or separate legislation will have to be developed for Early Childhood Development (ECD).
The LRC is among the stakeholders making virtual submissions on the Children’s Amendment Bill before the Social Development Committee.
The Bill seeks among other things to further promote and protect the child’s rights. Some stakeholders argue that the Bill does not address reform in ECD.
An attorney from the Legal Resource Centre Sipesihle Mguga says: “So it appears that a major overhaul in relation to the Children’s Act in relation to ECD will be necessary or alternatively a new piece of legislation will need to be created specifically for ECD or the Schools Act will require amendments. It is evident that the Bill has not taken cognisance of the migration of ECD from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education as the Bill still assigns responsibilities to Social Development instead of Basic Education. Whatever legislative route is decided upon, the decision not to make the necessary legislative reforms now appears to be a serious oversight.”
ECD and COVID-19 impact
The ECD sector in South Africa was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A necessary short-term solution to the problems faced by the sector came in the form of the ECD Employment Stimulus Relief Fund supported by the Presidential Employment Stimulus.
The fund allocated R486 million to be paid in small grants directly to 108 833 ECD workers intended to enable ECD programmes that are struggling financially to re-open their doors.
However, the Real Reform For Early Childhood Development Campaign, aimed at promoting significant reform for the ECD sector through advocacy and action, and education, raised concerns with what they termed poorly drafted ECD chapters in the Children’s Amendment Bill.
In the video below, Real Reform for ECD Campaign Spokesperson Mziwamadoda Badi explains more:
-Additional reporting by SABC News
