Limpopo MEC for Social Development Nkakareng Rakgoale has officially handed over the Early Childhood Development (ECD) function to the Limpopo Department of Education's MEC, Polly Boshielo. This comes as the DBE gets ready to take over the function shift of ECD centres around the country.

At last week's event, MEC Rakgoale indicated that the Department of Social Development in Limpopo would continue to give all the necessary support to DBE.

She emphasised that although the proclamations have been signed, at both national and provincial levels, the Department of Social Development will remain in the space of ECDs to ensure that necessary support is provided to our counterparts from the Department of Education in the spirit of cooperative governance.

"The Department of Social Development will remain responsible for the functions related to social support and care and support to ECD programmes like the support currently provided to learners in schools," Rakgoale said.

In her acceptance remarks, MEC Boshielo stated that the Department of Education would continue to focus on the foundation phase, as this will assist the department to have improved matric results.

"As various stakeholders, we all have a stake in the essential work that must be done for our children to reach their maximum potential. We must see this as a good investment, and the educational returns accrues to the children themselves, the rest of the society and the country at large," Boshielo said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation transferring powers of the ECD function to the Basic Education Minister last year.