Reflections from Breadline Africa’s ECD Monitoring – January to June 2025
Breadline Africa’s ongoing monitoring of the ECD centres it supports has provided valuable insights into the lived realities of young children and their caregivers, and what it takes to deliver quality early learning in underserved communities. From infrastructure provision to working with strategic partners, we are seeing where our interventions are working; and where coordinated, systemic action is urgently needed.
As we reflect on the first half of 2025, several lessons have emerged from our monitoring efforts; lessons that can help shape more impactful, equitable ECD delivery across South Africa.
Strengthening Access to Subsidies through Formal Registration
Only 36% of ECD centres nationally receive the government’s per-child subsidy (DBE, 2024). At Breadline Africa, our internal monitoring reveals an even starker reality—just 23% of the ECD centres we support receive this funding, despite more than half being registered with the Department of Basic Education (DBE). This disconnect highlights a critical bottleneck in the subsidy delivery chain.
We have identified several DBE-registered centres that are not receiving subsidies and are actively working with them to (i) identify systemic or administrative barriers and (ii) support them with tailored, actionable solutions to unlock this essential funding.
The Bana Pele registration drive is a critical national effort to integrate ECD centres into the social support system. However, its impact will remain limited unless registration reliably leads to access to state subsidies. Without this, registration becomes a symbolic gesture, not a transformative tool. Access to subsidies is key to enabling centres to improve infrastructure, ensure adequate nutrition, and hire qualified staff—core elements of quality early learning and care.
To realise the full intent of Bana Pele and close the equity gap in the foundational years, the government must ensure that every eligible, registered centre receives timely and consistent subsidies. Anything less risks reinforcing the very inequities the programme aims to address.
Build on What’s Working: Breadline Africa’s Holistic Infrastructure Approach
Breadline Africa’s infrastructure model has proven transformative. Monitoring shows that the introduction of safe toilets, classrooms, kitchens, and play areas contributes to increased enrolment, better child attendance, and improved classroom participation.
Yet, the infrastructure alone is not enough. What has made Breadline Africa’s model effective is the integration of the Nurturing Care Framework in holistic services. Partnering with Research and Training Partners is allowing us not only to tick the five domains of the NCF but is allowing us not only to tick the five domains of the NCF but doing it in a way that lays a strong foundation for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Let the Data Lead: Hard Evidence Points the Way
Routine monitoring is not just a reporting exercise; it is a tool for learning and accountability. Hard data from Breadline Africa’s supported centres has shown that:
- Enrolment increases where safe, age-appropriate facilities are available.
- Improvements in literacy, numeracy, and motor skills are strongest where practitioners receive regular support and training.
- Centres that engage parents meaningfully tend to report higher attendance and better nutritional outcomes.
- Financial vulnerability remains the greatest threat to long-term sustainability. Tailored interventions are required so that ECD centres can operate in a sustainable way.
These insights point to the urgent need to scale models that are working, using data to inform where and how support is provided.
The Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) Must Be Central
The Nurturing Care Framework with its five pillars (health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, and safety/security) remains a critical lens for assessing quality ECD provision.
Monitoring has shown that where centres provide daily meals, support responsive adult-child interactions, and maintain safe infrastructure, children thrive. However, gaps in parental involvement, psychosocial support, and access to health screenings are limiting the full realisation of the NCF.
A Shared Mandate for Collective Action
The first half of 2025 has shown us that progress is possible but not inevitable. Breadline Africa’s monitoring efforts have made visible the cracks in the system, but also the powerful models that can fill those gaps when resourced appropriately.
To ensure every child receives the foundation they deserve, stakeholders must:
- Expand access to subsidies through formal registration and government advocacy.
- Invest in holistic, integrated ECD infrastructure models that work.
- Let data drive decisions and scale what’s proven to be effective.
- Place the Nurturing Care Framework at the heart of every intervention.
Kelly Burke
Account Director
Flux Communications
Cell – 082 498 2797