Over half of South Africa’s children under six, about 3.8 million, are not in early learning programmes due to systemic issues. Quality early learning is too expensive, with high costs and complex regulations burdening providers and families. This results in a system failing low-income households. Despite a R10 billion budget increase and higher subsidies, structural barriers remain. To solve this, South Africa must lower costs and barriers for low-income providers and families, ensuring equitable access to quality early learning.
