2.4.3 The Transition to Democracy
Since 1994, new legal systems and frameworks have been established to address previous discriminatory practices in the educational arena. A major challenge to the new government was the need to deliver quality ECD provisions for South African children (Williams &
Samuels, 2001). During this period, ECD emerged as a term used to describe the policies and initiatives aimed at addressing the lack of educational provisioning for the majority of South African children (Williams & Samuels, 2001). These efforts aimed to improve conditions for those who were particularly vulnerable, including children (Chisholm, 2004). After the election of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1994, a new constitution was instituted which guaranteed education for all South Africans without bias.
2.4.4 The Current State of ECD in South Africa
Following 1994, the South African government begun to acknowledge ECD as an important factor in future educational achievement, especially for children from under-resourced settings (Biersteker & Dawes, 2008). This is evident in the fact that the country’s constitution offers a strong basis for tackling matters related to ECD. With this in mind many frameworks, policies, programmes and plans have been developed on a national and local scale to attend to ECD (Department of Education, 2001). Beginning in the early 1990s, South Africa endorsed the UNCRC, thereby committing to promote the rights of children within the country (Chisholm, 2004). By signing the UNCRC, South Africa agreed to implement measures to promote the rights of children by offering special care and environmental provisions aimed at development and education (UNCRC, 1989). However, it is the implementation of local legislature and action plans that determine whether ratification of the convention will enhance the lives of children. Following the signing of the UNCRC South
25 Africa signed the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990). This charter recognises that the needs of African children are unique in that they are challenged by poverty, hunger and other socio economic difficulties, as well as cultural and developmental diversity. South Africa ratified this charter in 1990, thereby agreeing to ensure the survival, safety and development of each child (Article 5), as well as promoting the education of all children (Article 11:1) with emphasis on the advancement of a child’s full potential in all domains of development (Article 11:2). As stated previously, without government policies, plans and legislature the conventions above would have no bearing on South African children. To carry out its commitment to the children of the country, the South African government developed the National Programme of Action for Children (NPA) in 1996. The NPA is a means of identifying and unifying plans for children and ECD. The NPA supports the view that the key to success in matters relating to ECD is the upgrade and expansion of current resources as well as providing support to informal care facilities. According to the Department of Education (2001), there are numerous reasons to support increasing provision of ECD services. One of the main reasons cited relates to the results of ECD in the country, including better standards of living for children in the long run, reduction in costs and resources related to remedial and special education and increases in economic returns, especially for women.
White Paper on Education and Training (1995) marked the beginning of growing support for ECD as a vital component of education. This was expanded upon in the Education White Paper 5 (Department of Education, 2001) on ECD. This paper was helpful as it offered a far reaching plan to improve the lives of children between 0 to 9 years. The ultimate aim being to offer policies and programmes that protect the child’s right to grow holistically in all domains of development (Department of Education, 2001). In this paper, the Department of Education
26 (2001) gives an overview of the challenges facing the provision of ECD services in South Africa. The Education White Paper 5 (2001) on ECD further calls for the implementation of ECD programmes in under-resourced communities. The Department of Education lists a number of goals for the future progress of South African children. Amongst these goals, by 2010, all children should have access to a reception year programme and 85% of children should attend Grade R.
In 2000, South Africa ratified the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals as well as the Dakar Framework for Action on EFA, with its focus on ECD through its six goals:
1. Expansion and improvement of early childhood provisioning, especially for children from under-resourced areas.
2. Free compulsory education for all children (Including minorities) by 2015.
3. Access to learning and life skills programmes for all.
4. 50% improvement on literacy for all (especially women) by 2015.
5. Eliminating gender disparities in education by 2015.
6. Improving education especially in literacy and numeracy.
(UNESCO, 2012) Despite the renewed government focus on ECD in South Africa, ECD provision has been and remains largely problematic (UNICEF, 2001), with the primary challenges to overcome being access, low levels of teacher education and lack of quality programmes (Van Der Vyver, 2012). Most existing ECD facilities are run by welfare organisations, NGOs, community based organisations, and private providers (Department of Education, 2001). Due to lack of resources, the quality of much of the services is less than optimal as many of the facilities have no equipment, educators are untrained and conditions are sometimes unhygienic (South
27 African Law Commission, 2001). According to Biersteker (2003), while there is now awareness of the importance of ECD, there is a history of the government accepting minimal responsibility for children in the youngest age group.