Education
(1) Whether the process of ECD migration from the Department of Social Development to her Department has been completed; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) what are the updates;
(2) whether all ECD subsidies have been paid to schools; (a) if not, (i) why not, (ii) what are the reasons for the delays and (iii) what is the number of schools not paid yet; (b) if so, (i) what are the relevant details and (ii) when was the first and last payment made;
(3) whether there are any schools that may not be paid these subsidies at all; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) what criteria determine the non-payment;
(4) with regard to (3) above, (a) what is the number of schools affected and (b) what support is her Department providing to them?
My department has informed me of the following:
[1] The migration process has been completed.
On 1 April 2022, the responsibility of Early Childhood Development (ECD[ was transferred from the provincial Department of Social Development to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED[.
The WCED is now responsible for supporting, subsidising, and regulating the programmes according to the specifications in Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of the Children’s Act.
[2] (a] All schools with confirmed details have been paid.
[i] Some ECD centres did not respond to our numerous requests for updated bank details. In these cases, no payments were made, as the centres did not provide their bank details.
On 19 January 2022, the WCED wrote to all centres requesting certain information so that we would be ready to fund the facilities in the first pay-run in April 2022.
The WCED is obligated by the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA[ to take effective and appropriate steps to prevent irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and losses resulting from criminal conduct. These steps include obtaining written assurance from an ECD centre verifying the bank account and banking details of that centre, before any funds can be transferred. This not only protects the WCED from wasteful expenditure, but also protects the centre from being defrauded by a third party.
The WCED therefore requested the following information from 819 ECD institutions:
- A new bank entity form – completed and signed by the person who has authority to do so; and
- A bank confirmation letter from the banking institution.
Since the 19 January 2022 letter, 715 ECD centres returned the required documentation and have been successfully migrated to the WCED and we want to express our sincere appreciation to these centres for cooperating.
Unfortunately, the documentation for 104 ECD centres remained outstanding, despite ongoing calls for them to submit the paperwork. The unfortunate consequence is that without the required documentation, we are unable to make payment to them.
[ii] Please see above. The delays were caused by ECD centres not complying with the WCED’s request.
[iii] 104. Our planners phoned each centre and requested the correct details. Public media appeals were also made requesting compliance.
[b] Payments for April 2022 were concluded on 12 May 2022.
[3] Yes. All schools adhering to the compliance criteria were paid, unregistered centres and non-compliant centres cannot be paid. Registered ECD centres need to confirm their correct banking details before the WCED will affect payment.
[4] [a] 104
[b] We are following up continuously with non-compliant centres.
