​On Thursday, Gauteng Social Development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe led an official ceremonial handover of the Early Childhood Development (ECD)  Programme to her counterpart in Education, MEC Panyaza Lesufi at David Bopape ECD Prototype in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni.
In September 2021, Premier David Makhura signed a gazette (Gauteng Provincial Proclamation) to initiate the shift and transfer powers of the ECD function from Social Development to Education.

Addressing guests, MEC Mosupyoe stated that the handover was a response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement during the 2019 State of the Nation Address (SONA), that the responsibility for ECDs would migrate from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education as of 01 April 2022.

“Social Development having been responsible for ECDs for more than 20 years, it played a significant role in the cognitive development of children and the responsibility of the Department was to ensure that all ECDs in the province were compliant and that children were prepared for the formal schooling system as custodians of the Children’s Act,” said Mosupyoe.

In his key note address on behalf of the Gauteng Premier, MEC Lesufi stated, “What we are witnessing here today is a historic moment. It is a beginning of an exciting era. Gone are the days when our children will pray, sing, eat and sleep then go home.”

“This migration process is aimed at improving the development of children and the quality of the ECD sector. We are currently training over a thousand ECD Practitioners and there must be no one that will say the migration left them in a worst state or unemployed,” said Lesufi.

He further ascertained that in 2023, all primary schools in Gauteng will have classrooms dedicated to early childhood development and that proper learning material will be provided.

MEC Morakane Mosupyoe assured parents that the future of their children is in good and capable hands under the leadership of MEC Panyaza Lesufi.