Eastern Cape Department  of Education is holding it's last Early Childhood Function Shift campaign today, which is the transfer of ECD function from the Department of Social Development to  the Department of Education.

"The migration of ECD that will kickstart from the 1st of April 2022, will provide an opportunity to craft and implement innovative strategies to strengthen foundational learning, looking at the continnum from birth to early grade" said Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, 28th January 2022.

The presentations done by the ECDoE Organisational Development Director, Mzoxolo Zazela throughout the Eastern Cape Province, was to unpack the systematic inclusion of ECD functions, part of DoE.

Therefore the shift means that Department of Basic Education will become  responsible for everything that DSD was responsible for in terms of delivering  funding, registering,  monitoring and supporting the ECD sector.

"Working together we can do more", said ECDSD Children and Families Chief Director Thembisile Kidwell Toyiya, as he was commenting on behalf of the DSD at the ECD function shift advocay session.

Thembisile said "It is a great day that we are in Alfred Ndzo, concluding the process of designing, planning, consulting on the smooth migration of ECD services from DSD to DOE, therefore the mutual goal of the two departments is to educate children and to provide services for children in need of care and protection."

Speaking on behalf of the ECD practitioners  was Bulelani Pre School Teacher from Ntabankulu, Alfred Nzo West District, Nikiwe Mtelu,  She said "we are very happy about the movement from DSD to DoE and we hope the programme will bring about changes to encourage us to continue working hard on providing good service to the children"