South Africa’s early childhood development sector is facing growing pressure to improve learner outcomes, with experts increasingly calling for practical, ongoing professional development rather than relying only on formal qualifications.
National studies, including Thrive by Five and findings captured in the South African Early Childhood Review, continue to show that qualifications alone are not translating into consistent quality outcomes for children, particularly in under-resourced communities.
Government policy is also shifting towards recognising that quality teaching develops over time through workplace experience, mentorship, coaching and continuous support.
The Department of Basic Education’s 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes now prioritises ongoing professional development and mentoring as central to improving quality within the sector.
The need for intervention remains urgent.
According to the Thrive by Five Index, only 42% of South African children aged four to five are developmentally on track, while 58% are either falling behind or significantly behind expected milestones.
The report highlights major gaps in literacy, numeracy, cognitive development and problem-solving skills, particularly among children from under-resourced communities.
ECD practitioners often work in challenging environments where they must simultaneously manage classrooms, administration, compliance requirements and parent engagement, frequently within financially constrained centres.
Rose Mokoena, Head of Education at Grow ECD, says the sector requires blended, practice-based professional development models that combine theory with real-world application.
“ECD owners and teachers must actively seek out opportunities and take responsibility for their own development,” said Mokoena. “Government and organisations must ensure that training is accessible, affordable, and relevant to the realities of ECD practice.”
Grow ECD currently provides more than 21 in-person training courses, online programmes, classroom assessments and mentorship interventions aimed at strengthening practitioner confidence and teaching quality.
The organisation reports that ECD centres participating in its programmes are achieving learner outcomes above the national average.
Marc Aguirre, Country Director of HOPE worldwide South Africa, said quality early childhood development depends not only on what practitioners know theoretically, but on how they engage with children daily.
“Quality in ECD is not defined only by what practitioners know, but by how they engage with children, respond to their emotions, create safe and stimulating environments, and turn daily routines into opportunities for learning and development,” said Aguirre.
HOPE worldwide South Africa currently supports nearly 2,000 Early Learning Programmes through its HOPE ECD Network, focusing on responsive teaching and practical classroom-based support.
The article also highlights economic challenges facing many ECD practitioners.
According to Grow ECD, many practitioners earn below minimum wage, making formal qualifications difficult to pursue despite strong interest in professional growth.
Nicky Walton, Education Co-Ordinator at The Domino Foundation, says ECD teachers and centre owners consistently request more training and business support.
“Teachers are absolutely desperate to be trained up and to gain knowledge so they can be more effective teachers who can confidently teach and assess young learners,” said Walton.
Experts argue that improving South Africa’s ECD outcomes will require long-term investment in workforce development systems that combine formal qualifications with practical, continuous and context-based support.
The growing consensus across the sector is that improving early learning outcomes depends not only on access to ECD programmes, but on strengthening the quality, confidence and ongoing support of the practitioners working directly with young children every day.
