A court judgment has compelled the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education to pay subsidies to early childhood development (ECD) centres.
More financial pressure is mounting on the cash-strapped KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education following a court judgment compelling the department to pay subsidies to early childhood development (ECD) centres.
The department was taken to court by the Friends of South Africa ECD Forum and ECD Alliance, along with Sakhokwethu Creche, Phumelela Creche, and Zenzeleni Creche, supported by the Legal Resources Centre. The MEC for Education, the Department of Education, the Ministry of Basic Education, and the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) department, among others, are listed as defendants.
Court documents show that the application was brought as a result of the Department of Education failing to consistently pay subsidies to ECD centres that qualify. The primary relief sought by the applicants was for the court to declare that every child has a right to learn and compel the department to pay the subsidies.
The court granted full relief to the applicants, declaring that all children have a right to healthy childhood development. It ruled that the irregular and inconsistent payment of subsidies to all qualifying ECD centres in KZN are unlawful, unconstitutional, and invalid, insofar as such conduct infringes the right to early childhood development of children.
