Issued by: GCIS
9 May 2000
When the Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal announced the Implementation Plan for Tirisano in January this year, he indicated that initiatives with regard to Early Childhood Development (ECD) were being developed.
One of these initiatives is the first ever nationwide audit of ECD provisioning in South Africa, which is being undertaken by the Department of Education in order to determine the extent, the nature and the quality of existing ECD provisioning. Information generated by the audit will be used to inform the development of a national policy for ECD, and to plan for integrated service delivery for young children.
The audit is being conducted with financial and technical assistance from the European Union, and in collaboration with the following government departments:
One national agency and nine provincial agencies have been contracted through a tender process to conduct the audit. They are the following: National agency The Centre for Early Childhood Development Consortium: Centre for Early Childhood Development (CECD) Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Early Learning Resource Unit (ELRU) National Educare Forum (NEF) Khululeka Community Education Development Centre Eastern Cape agency University of Port Elizabeth Free State agency University of the Free State Gauteng agency Gauteng 2000 Audit Consortium KwaZulu-Natal agency KwaZulu-Natal Consortium Mpumalanga agency Mertof Northern Cape agency Custoda Trust Northern Province agency Development Focus of South Africa North West agency Africon Western Cape agency Headways Research, Training and Development Consultancy A postal audit of ECD training providers is in progress. Questionnaires have been sent to 178 training providers for completion. The returns are currently being processed.
Between 8 May and 9 June 2000 approximately 25 000 ECD sites throughout South Africa are being visited by trained enumerators, who are gathering information on learners, educators, programme(s) offered, physical conditions, facilities and equipment. For the purposes of the audit, an ECD site is regarded as any facility that offers early childhood care and education to at least six children between birth and six years of age. ECD sites therefore include Grade R/0 classes attached to schools, pre-primary schools, creches, and community-based facilities in churches, in private homes, in shacks in townships or informal settlements, on farms, etc.
The results of the audit are expected in August this year.
Further information on the national ECD audit can be obtained from:
Ms Marie-Louise Samuels or Dr Berene Kramer
Director: ECD DCES
Department of Education
Private Bag X895
Pretoria
0001
Tel. (012) 312-5343/5435
Tel. (012) 312-5111
Fax (012) 323-0002
E-mail: samuels.m@educ.pwv.gov.za
E-mail: kramer.b@educ.pwv.gov.za
A list of frequently asked questions and responses is attached.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES
1. Is it compulsory to participate in the audit?
No, participation is voluntary. It is, however, vital that information be gathered from as many sites as possible, in order to accurately determine the extent, nature and quality of existing ECD provisioning.
2. What is the benefit for my site to be part of the audit?
The information gathered on your site will contribute to a better understanding of ECD in South Africa, which will enable Government to develop more appropriate policies for ECD, and to increase and improve service delivery in ECD. Your site will not receive any direct benefit, such as a subsidy.
3. Will my site have to pay for the audit?
No.
4. Will I be able to know exactly when the enumerator will come to my site?
It may not be possible to give you an exact date, but you will be informed on which days the enumerators will be in your district.
5. What happens if the principal or the supervisor is not at the site when the enumerator visits the site?
Someone should be available to answer the questions the enumerator will ask. If no-one is available, the site will miss out. It will be unfortunate if this happens, as we will then not get important information about the site.
6. Who will have access to my information, and how will it be treated?
The enumerator, the agencies that have been contracted to conduct the audit, and the government departments involved, will have access to your information. The information will be treated confidentially. Once the information has been processed, statistical reports will be developed and published. These reports will contain information on all the sites collectively, but not on individual sites. It will not be possible for anyone to identify you or your site from any of these reports.
7. Is this an attempt by the government to tax pre-schools?
No.
8. Do I have to write the answers to the questions myself?
No, the enumerator will read and explain the questions, and write down your answers.
9. Will the questions be asked in English only?
No, the questions are available in all the official languages of South Africa.
10. What if I cannot answer the questions?
The questions are simple and straightforward, but if you are not sure, you may ask another person to help.
11. Can't I just answer the questions over the telephone?
No, the enumerator has to visit the site to see what the conditions are like.
12. The details of our site are already with the Department of Education/Health/Welfare. Why do we have to provide information again?
Your existing details have to be verified, and may be incomplete. The nationwide audit is collecting additional information, even from facilities on which some information is available already.
13. How long will the enumerator be at my site?
The enumerator will spend two to three hours at your site.