First published Oct 19, 2026, 1:53:15 PM UTC · Last updated Oct 19, 2026, 1:53:15 PM UTC

Private sector called to invest in early childhood development

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on businesses to increase investment in early childhood development. He cited fee subsidies, facility upgrades and practitioner training as possible support.

At a glance

Affected location: South Africa

Illustrative image: Figure 2 Davies, C. Kong, S.P., Hendry, A. et al. (2023) Sustained benefits of early childhood education and care (ECEC) for young children’s development during COVID-19. Journal of Early Childhood Research. ISSN 1476-718X — Davies, C. Kong, S.P. Hendry, A. Archer, N. McGillion, M. Gonzalez-Gomez, N./Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

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Ramaphosa said stronger early learning could help address inequality and support working families and South Africa’s future workforce.

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