Edition November 2025

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has launched a nationwide mass registration drive aimed at registering the majority of unregistered Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes across South Africa. This initiative comes in response to findings from the 2021 ECD Census, which revealed that at least half of all early learning programmes, including ECD centres, playgroups and day mothers, remain unregistered under the Children’s Act of 2005.

The Bana Pele ECD registration process aims to make it easier for ECD programmes to register through a simplified, user-friendly online system. This initiative is part of government’s broader goal to ensure that every young child in South Africa has access to quality early learning. Government envisions all registered ECD programmes providing three key essentials:

Quality learning and development opportunities, A safe and nurturing environment, and Access to nutritious food.

“Registration is the first step in making this possible. The goals of the mass registration drive are, therefore, to pull every ECD programme into the regulatory net and to support ECD programmes in all communities to comply with legal requirements, by recognising the different contexts in which they operate,” stated the DBE in a statement.

Stages of registration
The new registration process will follow three stages that every ECD programme must complete.
 
APPLY: The ECD programme submits an initial application using an online form or WhatsApp Bot and receives a Bronze certificate as confirmation.
COMPLY: The programme then submits the required supporting documents and undergoes site visits to ensure compliance with prescribed norms and standards.
COMPLETE: Once fully compliant, the programme is awarded a Silver or Gold certificate, depending on the level of compliance achieved.

Key changes
The new Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive introduces several key changes aimed at streamlining and supporting the ECD registration process:
A simplified Bronze registration process will be introduced, which can be completed at dedicated one-stop shops operated by Education Districts during a special, time-limited window.

The DBE and provincial authorities will offer structured support to help ECD programmes meet full registration and municipal compliance requirements.

Provinces and districts will ensure that every Early Learning Programme is able to submit a complete registration application within one year.

Stakeholder involvement 
The new registration process is intentionally designed to include the active support and involvement of ECD sector partners and stakeholders, including NGOs and ECD forums or associations. NGOs have a vital role to play in the mass registration drive, as many have established relationships with ECD programmes and possess the capacity and resources to assist in facilitating the registration process.

“Local NGOs will therefore be invited to support the mass registration drive by assisting ECD programmes with applications (at APPLY stage) and site compliance (at COMPLY stage). ECD formations and associations are critical as a support and information sharing networks to build trust and credibility of the messages designed for owners, principals and practitioners of  ECD programmes and centres,” read the statement. 

The new mass registration process will be rolled out in a phased approach to allow for thorough testing of the supporting tools and to ensure that provinces and districts are fully prepared for the new reform. All applications will now be submitted through the new online platform, eCares (Early Childhood Administration and Reporting System), which has already been extensively tested in Gauteng. The platform will be gradually introduced across most provinces by the end of 2024.

Unregistered ECD programmes have several options to register via the Bana Pele system, including:
Online application through the DBE’s eCares platform at: https://dbecares.dbe.gov.za/user-registration/.
WhatsApp notification: Unregistered ECD programmes will receive notifications via WhatsApp, including detailed information about the registration process and a link to the application form, sent from the WhatsApp number 087 725 2059.

NGO support: NGOs operating within Education Districts will provide support where applicable. They will assist members of ECD forums by offering information on the Mass Registration Drive and hosting application submission workshops or “clinics”.

MRD outbound contact centre: ECD programmes and centres will receive direct phone calls from the MRD Contact Centre at 010 476 1004, where they will be guided step-by-step through the online registration process.

Benefits of the new registration system
Provides a less intimidating registration process for the ECD sector and the public, encouraging more programmes to register as legitimate providers committed to child safety.

Supports ECD programmes and centres throughout the registration process to help them meet minimum norms and standards. Municipalities will play a vital role in guiding and assisting centres in meeting these requirements, in line with a developmental approach.

Enables registered ECD programmes and centres to operate within a formal regulatory framework, ensuring they are subject to official oversight.

Allows programmes to apply for the ECD subsidy for eligible children, granting access to state funding that can enhance the quality of services offered.

Improves access to funding and helps eliminate disproportionate resource allocation, particularly benefiting children in low-income communities and addressing the ongoing cycle of underfunding and lower quality services for vulnerable families.

For reliable guidance on the eCares platform registration, including helpful videos and frequently asked questions about the Mass Registration Drive, ECD programmes are encouraged to scan the QR code below: ❖