Source: Department of Education

Title: Motsoaledi on behalf of S Moloto: Early Childhood Development Seminar

Speaker's notes for MEC for Education, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, on behalf of Limpopo Premier Mr Sello Moloto during the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Seminar, The Park Hotel, Mokopane

Theme: 'Early childhood development: investing in the future'

Programme Director
MECs here present
Executive Mayor of Waterberg District and Mayor of Mokgalakwena Municipality
Members of Provincial Legislature and councillors
Traditional leaders
Our Director-General (DG)
ECD experts and practitioners
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) representatives
Academic institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Children are the wealth and future of any nation. Our government continues to hold a view that the development of our society cannot succeed unless it accommodates and acknowledges the needs and aspirations of our children and other vulnerable groups. As we have seen in almost all armed conflict situations in Africa and across the globe, women and children are often the first victims to suffer the brutality of war. They are the first to be subjected to rape, violence and murder. We also know that the majority of people who are refugees are often women and children. This makes women and children to be more susceptible to poverty and disease, let alone sharing in the economic benefits of their nation. We hold a view that this situation will not end unless and until we stop putting our women and children in the periphery of society. Our conviction is that the true measure of any country's success lies in the manner in which it values its women and children.

One of the greatest champions of children's rights, Graca Machel, makes this important observation on how societies must treat their children:

"I come from a culture where traditionally children are seen as both our present and our future, so I have always believed it is our responsibility as adults to give children futures worth having."

Both our country and continent are blessed to have people like her and many others who are unshakeable in their commitment to build a world safe for children. One of the greatest achievements of our freedom and democracy has indeed been the development of a framework in our Bill of Rights that protects the rights of all citizens, including children. Government ratified as early as 1996 the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child so as to safeguard the interest of all children against exploitation and abuse. The Bill of Rights, the UN convention and the African Charter on the Rights of the Child have all been drawn up with a purpose to uplift the potential of each child to become a better citizen of tomorrow.

We have ensured through these instruments that every child has the right:

* to a name and a nationality from birth
* to family care or parental care
* basic nutrition, shelter, basic healthcare services and social services
* to be protected from maltreatment, neglect and abuse
* to be protected from exploitative labour practices.

Since 1994, our government has been giving practical expression to these set of rights and policies by making various interventions such as the primary school nutrition programme which is implemented in over 2 700 schools benefiting over a million children. There have also been numerous interventions such as the child support grants (CSG) which are accessed by no less than one million children.

Almost all our districts have established child friendly courts in line with our commitment to protect juveniles or young offenders. Over and above these interventions, our Department of Health and Social Development continues to subsidies over 1 000 creches which benefit over 35 000 children. The 'no fee' schools policy is another latest addition to the number of measures which government has embarked upon to try and improve access to education for the majority of children from poor backgrounds.

However, since the passing of various pieces of legislations related to children's rights and the ratification of the children's convention, we must contend with the fact that virtually not enough is being done to lay a proper foundation for the education of the African child. If it was not for apartheid perhaps the much talked about skills challenge that our country is facing today would not have occurred had our children been given a solid foundational base between the ages of 0 to 9 years. At matric level the absence of good early childhood development foundation is more glaring and further evidenced in the shocking 2006 matric pass rate statistics which our Minister of Education Naledi Pandor revealed recently. According to her "only 25 000 candidates passed higher grade mathematics in the senior certificate exam in 2006 compared to over 100 000 learners who passed standard grade mathematics."

If this statistic is anything to go by this can only mean that we are far off from winning the battle for skills development and in fact we have a long way to go in strengthening our mathematics and science education, especially at early childhood level and the foundation phase.

Programme Director

Research has proven many a times that the first decade of life is the most critical window of opportunity in human development to influence health, learning and behaviour throughout life. ECD is a form of learning that has been packaged to fulfil all of the child's rights and to give the child the best start in life. Interventions during early childhood, therefore, can decrease morbidity and mortality, minimise malnutrition and stunting, improve personal hygiene and healthcare, prevent child abuse, neglect, vulnerability and discrimination, improve care and development and increase self-esteem and social adjustment.

There is ample evidence to show that investment in the early years leads to economic and social benefits for society through increased employment, moral regeneration, economic productivity, health and social cost savings such as juvenile delinquency and teenage pregnancy. Societies that have got higher levels of human development are known to have increasingly relied on 'human capital' investment. Therefore, investing time and resources can significantly impact on the physical, mental and social development of a child as well as contribute to improving the health, economic wealth, moral wealth and human capital of a nation. The rationale for ECD becomes even more compelling and valid in the face of rising HIV and AIDS infections and the increasing number of orphans and vulnerable girls and boys in our province. Therefore, it should be quite clear to everyone that ECD sites are not and cannot be reduced to mere baby sitting centres as they are formal institutions of learning where children can acquire physical, psychological and cognitive skills at a much earlier age.

Programme Director

We therefore all have a challenge to ensure that children are valued as members of society and further protected in their homes, in schools and in their communities where they are able to grow up in peace and to live their lives to full potential. To a larger extent we are achieving these objectives and we can say with confidence that government departments have already begun prioritising ECD issues as part of their special programmes and the Expanded Public Works Programmes (EPWP).

A multi-sectoral approach to ECD in our province is not only necessary but possible. There is a dire need for ECD to be integrated in the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) of each and every municipality and across each government Department. We are pleased that the private sector as well, seems to be coming on board as we already have more than forty three companies which have committed themselves through the Girls' Education Movement (GEM) programme to mentor and do job shadowing for 420 learners in the province as part of preparing them for future careers. This will ensure that our children are developed holistically in all spheres of human development. Not least important in this strategy is the important role which our caregivers play including fathers, mothers, grandparents, guardians, sisters, brothers in care giving and child development. In this regard we cannot ignore the sterling role many faith based organisations (FBOs) continue to play in looking after the needs of our children. We know that in almost every village and township there is always a pre-school that is housed in a church hall or a mosque building. This shows the commitment which FBOs have towards the education of our children. Their contributions are commendable and have counted enormously to where we are today.

Programme Director

We must emerge from this conference united in our vision to ensure that:

* all departments in the provincial government make budgetary provision for children
* all government departments participate fully and with commitment in the processes of the Provincial Child Rights Advisory Council for children activities
* that Local Child Rights Advisory Councils for children are established in all the district municipalities and appropriate personnel is appointed to co-ordinate this and lastly
* the need for implementation of the provincial children framework and strategy.

We trust that this interaction about the future of our children will indeed bear the desired fruits and leave us more inspired to want to do more for our children.

I thank you

Issued by: Department of Education, Limpopo Provincial Government