INTERVIEW: Siviwe Gwarube targets 7 million children in structured ECD programmes by 2030

South Africa’s Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube aims to enroll seven million children in structured early childhood development (ECD) programs by 2030. This initiative, framed as crucial for improving literacy and boosting GDP, is backed by measures such as the Bana Pele registration drive, expanded subsidy access, and targeted nutrition initiatives.

Since her appointment in 2024, Gwarube has been a strong advocate for increased investment in ECD, emphasizing its importance in addressing the literacy and numeracy crisis.

In November 2025, the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children was announced to intensify efforts to support the country's children. By May 2026, Gwarube reported that over 13,300 ECD centers had been registered, with approximately 1.2 million children accessing these programs. However, she acknowledged that significant work remains to be done to reach the target of seven million children.

Gwarube highlighted the correlation between ECD subsidy access and improved education outcomes, noting that the ECD team is dedicated to expanding the subsidy to R24 per child per day. The National Treasury recently allocated an additional R10-billion to support this effort, aiming to extend ECD subsidies to about 700,000 more children under five. Gwarube emphasized the importance of effectively using this funding to avoid appearing unable to spend the allocated resources responsibly.

Born and raised in KwaMdingi, a village near Qonce in the Eastern Cape, Gwarube's personal experiences have fueled her commitment to improving the ECD sector. She emphasized the importance of structured ECD centers where children can learn, play, and feel safe. Collaborating with various departments, including Home Affairs, Social Development, and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the DBE is working to streamline registration processes and reduce bureaucratic barriers.

An ECD Nutrition Support Programme, aimed at combating stunting and malnutrition, is currently under implementation. A tender for the program was published in March 2026, with a closing date of 11 September 2026. Gwarube is piloting the initiative in the Eastern Cape, where child malnutrition and stunting are particularly acute.

She stressed the urgent need to address child hunger as a critical issue for the country, emphasizing that South Africa is not a poor nation and the suffering of children who go hungry is unacceptable.