Eastern Cape and ECD Funding

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Eastern Cape and ECD Funding

• PRESENTATION TO SELECT COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
• Parliament, Cape Town
• 29 August 2008
• By
• Denver A. Webb
• HOD, Department of Social Development
• Province of the Eastern Cape

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None of the great social problems we have to
solve is capable of resolution outside the
context of the creation of jobs and the
alleviation and eradication of poverty. This
relates to everything, from the improvement of
the health of our people, to reducing the levels
of crime, raising the levels of literacy and
numeracy, and opening the doors of learning and
culture to all -Pres. Thabo Mbeki, SONA, 9
February 2007
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Introduction

• Vision
• To create a better life for all in the Eastern
  Cape by providing care, protection and
  development for the poor and the vulnerable.
• Mission
• To improve the quality of life and social
  well-being of people of the Eastern Cape through
  integrated and developmental social services in
  partnership with relevant stakeholders, utilizing
  appropriate and available resources.

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Introduction

• ECD seen as very important intervention to reduce
  child poverty.
• Also important intervention to break cycle of
  inter-generational poverty.
• ECD interventions not an end in themselves, but
  integral part of the Eastern Cape poverty
  Eradication model
• Also contribution to EPWP

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Context Eastern Cape Demography Informing ECD
2001 Census Children 0 4 years
Alfred Nzo 47 304
Amathole 147 120
Cacadu 33 171
Chris Hani 81 280
O R Tambo 215 827
Ukhahlamba 35 352
NM Metro 77 230
Provincial Total 637 284
StatsSA midyear estimates 2008 StatsSA midyear estimates 2008
Total Population in the Eastern Cape 6 579 300
Children 0 4 691 300
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Registered and Accredited ECD Sites in Eastern
Cape
2007/08 2007/08 2008/09 2008/09
District Registered Subsidised Newly Registered Subsidised
Alfred Nzo 75 75 10 80
Amathole 446 416 134 437
Cacadu 77 77 2 79
Chris Hani 219 212 16 228
O R Tambo 224 224 14 231
Ukhahlamba 65 65 10 75
NM Metro 72 72 0 72
Totals 1178 1141 158 1202
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Budget Allocation for ECD 2007/08 and 2008/09
Total budget allocation (R millions) 2007/08 2008/09
Department of Social Development (Vote 4)
Sub-Programme 2.6 Child Care Protection R162 316 000 R227 783 000
Sub-Sub-Programme Early Childhood Development R78 330 000 R87 700 529
ECD increase 12
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Policy Speech Commitment

• In his 2008/09 Policy Speech, the MEC placed
  special emphasis on
• Massification of Early Childhood Development
  (ECD) to reach poor communities in every corner
  of the Province and to address child poverty.
• Early Childhood Development is one of the Apex
  and sectoral priorities that is seen as a major
  intervention to deal with child poverty. Not
  only does it provide poor children with daily
  sustenance, but it also provides them with a head
  start when they enter the mainstream of
  education. The Department will this year fund an
  additional 100 ECD centres with special focus in
  the 11 identified poorest municipalities. This
  intervention will be done in collaboration with
  other social needs cluster Departments and local
  municipalities. We will also accelerate the ECD
  registration campaign which started last year. An
  amount of R23, 6 million has been allocated for
  this increase.
• As part of this broader transformation programme
  to deal with child poverty, Madam Speaker, we are
  happy to announce that tariffs will increase from
  R9 to R12 per child per day in subsidised Early
  Childhood Development Centres (ECDs). This
  increase is meant to improve nutrition,
  recreation and administration of Early Childhood
  Development Centres to prepare them mentally and
  physically for assimilation of education at grade
  1 level.

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Tariff Structure for Subsidised ECDs 2007/08 and
2008/09
2007/08 2008/09
Administration R3.00 R4.00
Recreation R2.00 R3.00
Nutrition R4.00 R5.00
Total per child per day of attendance R9.00 R12.00
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Assessment of Funding and Performance

• Had a registration campaign launch in October
  2007. In 2007/08 set a target of registering 225
  new ECD sites, which was not met. Only 17 new
  sites were funded for 2007/08.
• Signed SLA to formalise partnership with
  Department of Education in October 2007, to
  clearly establish roles and responsibilities.
• In EC, ECDs are subsidised on basis of signed 3
  year SLA, annual allocation letter and submission
  of monthly claims of actual attendance.
• 72 800 children benefited from the ECD during
  2007/08.
• 3 369 Work Opportunities were created in ECD
  through EPWP during 2007/08
• Now special focus placed on the 11 poorest or
  least developed Local Municipalities.

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Rural Beneficiaries

• 1141 ECD sites were funded, 72 800 children were
  subsidised and 2 282 caregivers benefited in
  2007/08
• 785 sites are outside the NMM and Buffalo City,
  49 728 children are subsidised, 1 570 caregivers
  benefited.
• 356 sites are in the NMM and Buffalo City, 23 072
  children are subsidised, 712 caregivers
  benefited.

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ECDs and EPWP

• ECD (along with HCBCs) seen as major contribution
  by social sector to EPWP.
• In terms of recent National report, Eastern Cape
  social sector EPWP target was 26 268 Work
  Opportunities by end 2008/09.
• Audited report of Work Opportunities created from
  April 2004 to 31 March 2008 shows EC created 25
  348 WOs. Have the 2008/09 year to achieve the
  balance to meet target 100.
• In actual numbers this constitutes the largest
  number of all Provinces.

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Challenges

• Reliable baseline information for evidence-based
  decision-making
• Poor and inadequate infrastructure from which ECD
  services are run.
• Lack of clear policy on issue of provision of
  infrastructure.
• Inadequate monitoring of ECD services due to
  capacity constraints at local service office
  level.
• Delays in provision of training to ECD
  practitioners in EPWP.
• Quality of what takes place within ECDs as an
  educational foundation.
• Lack of general awareness on registration by
  public.

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Conclusion

• In EC, we have seen a major improvement in
  funding norms, ensuring we no longer lag behind
  other Provinces in the subsidy.
• Striking a balance between improving funding
  levels and increasing number of ECDs that receive
  subsidies.
• Social development sector will strive for the R12
  per child in 2009/10, so ECD in EC will not
  increase funding levels next year, but will
  increase coverage.
• Increased number of social work professionals
  (236 Social Workers, 42 Chief Social Workers,
  21 Senior Social Workers, 300 Social Auxiliary
  Workers, 24 Contract Social Auxiliary Workers
  for the Child Protection Register) employed in
  the Department in 2007/08 has improved capacity
  for monitoring of ECDs.
• Also will be placing more emphasis on quality of
  what takes place within ECD.