The ECD Census 2021 found 42,420 early learning programmes (ELPs) in South Africa with an estimated 1.6 million children enrolled. An additional 10,000 ELPs are estimated to be in operation; however, their exact locations are unknown. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is responsible for registering, funding, and monitoring these ELPs. Historically, all these administrative processes have been paper-based. The scarcity of centralized, reliable, and up-to-date data has made long-term planning and resource allocation for early learning services very difficult.
Since 2022, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, we have led the research, design, and development of eCares – the Early Childhood Administration and Reporting System.
eCares is a cloud-based platform that, once complete, aims to digitise all of government’s important business processes for ECD service delivery administration. These include: ECD programme profile management, registration, subsidy application, quality assurance, ECD infrastructure support, subsidy compliance, and indicator reporting.
A true first for South Africa, eCares is making ECD systems reform possible, providing a platform for the government to deliver proactive, human-centred, and accessible ECD services to ELPs and the children they serve. Officials can monitor and evaluate ECD service delivery in real time and make data-informed resource allocation decisions.
eCares powers the Bana Pele ECD Registration Drive, which has brought over 12,000, and counting, previously unknown ELPs into the government’s registration net. These ELPs can now be seen and supported.
eCares’ functionalities are being released in phases between 2024 and 2027, supported by change management processes that include testing with provincial government departments, communications, data analytics, and roll-out support.
The development of eCares is made possible through the partnership between Ilifa, government, civil society, funding, and technical partners, which together embody the Department of Basic Education’s Social Compact for ECD as articulated in the 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes.