Enhancing the implementation of ECD policy and programmes in Gert Sibande District.

Abstract

South Africa prioritizes the implementation of policies and activities related to Early Childhood Development (ECD). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (2000), both emphasize the importance of early childhood development by putting out proposals and regulations to help communities implement it more effectively. Following these guidelines, the South African government launched various courses, through the Departments of Basic Education (DBE), Social Development (DSD), and Health (NDoH) to prioritise early childhood education. These courses covered the National Early Learning and Development Standards for Children (NELDS) and the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy (NIECD), which ensures that every young child received the best possible early childhood education. Most young children lack the requisite basic knowledge when they enter formal schooling due to a gap in the implementation of these policies and the accompanying programmes in ECD facilities, which is still an ongoing issue in South Africa. To increase the quality of early childhood care and education, this study investigated how ECD policies such as the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy, the National Early Learning and Development Standards for children from birth to 4 years and the Guidelines for Early Childhood Development Services as well as their aligned programmes are implemented. The fundamental premise is a qualitative interpretivist worldview. Schön's conceptual framework on reflective practice provided invaluable insight for the study. Participants in the study included a total of six ECD practitioners, from the three various ECD centres, two non-practitioners, of which one was responsible for administration in one of the centres while the other one was a member of the School Governing Body and two ECD Learning Facilitators (LFs), from the education district made up the team of participants in the study regarding the enhancement of the implementation of the ECE programmes. These ten participants worked as a team to design an effective implementation strategy for the ECE programmes for ECD Practitioners in the 2 schools with ECD centres and the one independent centre. ECD Learning Facilitators, non-teaching stakeholders who served on the School Governing Body (SGB), and ECD Practitioners, all of whom share equal responsibility for implementing the ECD policy and its programmes. xiv Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, field notes, observation, and voice recording, which was then analysed using inductive categories and theme descriptions. Thematic data analysis identified three themes that reflected participants' experiences with implementing ECD policies to improve the quality of care and education for young children. The findings suggested that ECD stakeholders should work together and interact on a continuous basis to improve policy and programme implementation. The recommendations of the study emphasized the need of ECD managers, practitioners, and officials at all levels to promote the implementation of ECD policies and programmes for optimal care and education.