Cape Town – Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities are a step closer to reopening as the Department of Social Development issued a circular regarding staff preparation and planning to resume services.
The ECD sector has been closed since March and has been campaigning to be allowed to reopen since.
In the circular the national department made it clear that no ECD facility will be able to reopen until minister Lindiwe Zulu gives a date, but made provision for staff to return in order to make preparations.
“Staff, including managers, early childhood development educators, early childhood development practitioners, administrative and other support staff, may return to their workplace subject to measures and conditions set out in the regulations of the Disaster Management Act. The return of staff is to allow for the commencement of preparations of the staff and premises,” the notice states.
The South African Childcare Association, which has been championing the fight to reopen ECDs, is headed to court today on the matter, where they applied for an urgent interdict to allow ECDs to open.
Chairperson Anton van der Merwe said they were aware of the circular and while it was a step in the right direction, the association had some concerns.
“I am excited that the pressure we have put on them is amounting to results and that there is some process that has started.
“We are working towards July 6 and hoping that everyone will be allowed to open by then, but these documents do not show that July 6 is a date that the DSD has in mind.
"Let’s look at the court case and see what it says. We will have a better indication after that.”