PRESENTATION TO THEWORLD BANK AFRICA EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND

DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE CAPETOWNJULY `2010

BY DR JULIANA SELETI

OVERVIEWIntroduction to NIPECDPolicy processPrioritiesGoalsRoles and ResponsibilitiesECD/EPWPLessons learntChallengesLet’s ThinkConclusion

INTRODUCTION TO NIPECDThe National Integrated ECD Plan (NIP) is a

response to government’s mandates and policies on the need to provide integrated services to the youngest citizens of this country, birth to four years old.

Department of Education’s White Paper 5 on Early Childhood Education stipulates that:

The Department of Education accepts that providing ECD for children younger than five years require a combination and a variety of programmes that draw in several departments and levels of government, nongovernmental organisations, CBOs, families, parents and children. (White Paper 5 pg61)

NIPECD POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESSThe NIPECD was developed over a two year period-2004 to 2006.The policy was a cabinet directive, it needed to be put in place

urgently in order for cabinet to start implementing certain services for 0-4 children (e.g EPWP).

The policy was developed by the National Interdepartmental Committee, comprising of the Departments of Basic Education, Social Development and Health supported by UNICEF.

Once drafted the policy went through various forms of consultations at government and NGO levels.

PRIORITIESThe priorities for the NIPECD are:

To create an environment and opportunities where all children have access to a range of safe, accessible, high quality early childhood development programmes that include a developmentally appropriate curriculum.

To have knowledgeable and well-trained programme staff and educators.

To have comprehensive integrated services that support children’s health, nutrition, and social well-being in an environment that respects and supports diversity.

PRIMARY GOALThe primary goal is to meet children’s basic rights

of food shelter, care, protection and education

through provision of :Birth RegistrationIntegrated Management of Childhood IllnessesImmunisationReferral services for health and Social security grantsDevelopment of appropriate curriculum and Early

stimulation materials

SECONDARY GOAL

The secondary goal is meant to support the primary goal, it involves :The development of human resource (e.g EPWP).

Infrastructure development and provision.

Research (EPWP research -Human Science Research Council, Development Bank South Africa Health Systems Trust).

Monitoring and evaluation.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES There are three key role players in the NIPECD:

Departments of Education, Health and Social Development Their core roles relate to the Primary and secondary goals

of the NIP. The roles and responsibilities cascade down to provincial

and local levels in the municipalities and districts were the NIP is rolled out.

Other role players include departments of Local Government, Treasury, Government Communications Information Services GCIS, Home Affairs local Non Government agencies and UNICEF.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Continued

Social Development:Registration of sitesPayment of SubsidiesManagement of the NIP

Education Training of PractitionersPayment of stipends

HealthIMCI, Immunisation,

NIPECD IMPLEMENTATIONThe implementation of the NIPECD has taken many

different forms:The NGO sector has embraced the policy and is

developing various integrated programmes or aligning existing ones to the policy.

Government introduced the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to include other government sectors such as social services.

ECD- EPWPEPWP designed to find ways of dealing with

unemployment by creating short to long term job opportunities, coupled with training across all sectors in the country.

Early Childhood Development is one of SA Governments APEX priorities.

ECD has been recognised as a critical factor and contributor to the EPWP goal of alleviating and eliminating poverty through job creation opportunities.

ECD-EPWP Continued ECD was identified as one area where job creation is

most needed and was happening through volunteerism.

A professionalised and well regulated ECD sector will ensure achievements of quality child care outcomes.

The ECD EPWP process started in 2005 with the first EPWP funding through equitable share, allocated to provinces.

ECD-EPWP ContinuedEPWP ECD Achievements started being noticeable in

2007/9.More provinces were able to identify EPWP funding allocations.Funding used to pay for training and stipendsTraining conducted for ECD practitioners, cooks and gardeners.Paying of social subsidies to selected registered ECD centres.

EPWP played a critical role in defining integration in ECD, it created a forum for the start of integrated service delivery in ECD.

LESSONS LEARNTIntegrated programming should be the normal way that

government functions in ECD.Management, planning and implementation units and

structures are required. Several factors affect the understanding of integration of

ECD services.Package of services must target children where they are

(Community, homes, institutions).No one model is adequate for all children( understand children’s

environments).Role of family critical.Formal settings not primary places of care for young children.

LESSONS LEARNT continuedPhased in implementation approach importantSeveral other government departments need to be involved in

providing services.Comprehensive coordinating mechanism is required for

successful implementation.Integrated plan provides means for implementing ECD EFA

goal expansion of access and improvement of quality.Provides clear partnership possibilities with NGO’s, Business

and CBO’s.Has great potential of unifying all who are involved and

interested in ECD.

CHALLENGESTerritorialism. Inadequate management ,planning and implementation structures

and systems. (National, provincial, district and community levels, ECD Units, focal people,

organisational structures) .Lack of clear funding allocations, where funding is available, lack of

finance management skills, strategies and systems.Lack of vision.Lack of sufficient commitment and support from within government

departmental structures.(e.g Integrated plan not a priority in departments planning-no dedicate staff. )

Inadequate common understanding about integration in the ECD context.

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CONCLUSION Integrated polices are a requirement in ECD, to address the issues

of quality and access. The implementation of integrated policies is a dynamic process. Delivery of integrated ECD programmes, requires role players from

national to local levels, to be very committed and be willing to make adjustments and changes, in order to meet the commitments made in the integrated policy.

There is need to put aside personal, and organisational interests and adorn the aims and vision of the integrated policy.

There is need to recognise that children’s rights and how to meet them, should be put first in integrated ECD delivery .

An integrated policy calls for role players to consciously plan and work together for it to be realised.

Use the challenges as the building platform for the integrated system.

LET’S THINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!Several scientific studies have proved that investing in

youngchildren results in economic and social benefits, both for thechild and the society in which they live.

The question is, are we as ECD specialists doing all we canto ensure that ECD is not only recognised through glossyPolicies, but, that the policies are actually impacting thechildren’s lives and those who care for them, are weequipping ourselves to be doers and implementers of ECDpolicies????????????