Running for a purpose: Towards the realisation of Early Childhood Development in South Africa
Congratulations to Nkhensani Baloyi, JET ECD Research Officer, on completing her fourth 56km Two Oceans Marathon in an impressive time of 06:53:34.
South Africa’s approval of the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) in December 2025 marks a significant step forward—but its true impact will depend on how effectively we turn these priorities into action.
The strategy outlines 10 national priorities aimed at transforming the lives of children and adolescents:
Empower parents and caregivers to support children
Reduce infant and child mortality
Eliminate HIV transmission to babies
Improve child nutrition
Strengthen early learning and language development
Support children with disabilities and promote inclusion
Protect children from abuse, violence, and harmful substances
Improve access to adolescent healthcare
Increase participation in quality education and pathways to work
Build children’s identity, agency, and sense of belonging
Among these, early learning and development stand out as a critical foundation.
This is where the Engage Toolkit, promoted by JET Education Services and funded by the LEGO Foundation, plays a vital role. The toolkit moves beyond access to focus on what matters most—quality learning experiences. It supports practitioners to understand how children engage, how learning happens through play, and how meaningful adult-child interactions shape developmental outcomes.
In doing so, it directly advances the NSAAC priority of strengthening early learning and language development—ensuring that children not only attend ECD programmes, but truly benefit from them.
This is where real change happens:
When national priorities meet practical tools, and when commitment translates into impact.
Written by Nkhensani Baloyi
