This is an entry-level Qualification for those who want to enter the field of Education, Training and Development, specifically within the sub-field of Early Childhood Development (ECD). Many of those who will seek this Qualification are already practising within the field, but without formal recognition. This Qualification will enable recipients of this Qualification to facilitate the all-round development of young children in a manner that is sensitive to culture and individual needs (including special needs), and enable them to provide quality early childhood development services for children in a variety of contexts, including community-based services, ECD centres, at home and in institutions. In particular, recipients of this qualification will be able to:

Plan and prepare for Early Childhood Development.

Facilitate and monitor the development of babies, toddlers and young children.

Provide care and support to babies, toddlers and young children.

The qualification will be useful to those within the world of work and who provide training in the workplace, or for those who have been practising within the field, but without formal recognition. In particular, this qualification will be useful for:

• ETD coordinators.
• Entry-level trainers.
• Junior Training officers.
• Training administrators.

Learners of this qualification will be able to:

• Prepare for and facilitate learning.
• Provide learner support.
• Carry out administration related to learning.
• Contribute to Human Resource Management Practices.

The Higher Certificate is designed to provide access to higher education for many experienced and skilled ECD practitioners and trainers who do not have recognised qualifications. The purpose of this qualification is to:

1. Develop ECD ETD practitioners (e.g. home-based, centre- and school-based practitioners including Grade R, family and community ECD motivators, fieldworkers, facilitators, trainers and managers) to provide appropriate education, training and development services in the ECD sub-field.

2. Enable ECD ETD practitioners to use their knowledge of child growth and development from birth to nine years and relevant national policies to guide their professional practice in the ECD sub-field.

This qualification provides an opportunity for:

• practitioners with a Level 4 certificate or equivalent in ECD to further their professional development in ECD by providing access to higher education and training qualifications and/or to specialise in aspects of ECD practice (e.g. Grade R) or specific roles (e.g. managers, trainers etc.).
• practitioners with a Primary Teachers Certificate (PTC), Primary Teachers Diploma (PTD), or an equivalent of 120 credits to obtain an ECD certificate, either in the preschool phase and/or specialising in reception year teaching. 

The purpose of the qualification is to:

1. Provide access to a recognised educator qualification at Level 6 for ECD educators who have a Level 4 or Level 5 certificate in ECD, providing a bridge between non-formal and formal learning programmes.

2. To enable educators/ learners to plan and implement a learning programme which is based on their knowledge of child development from birth to nine years and which helps children in a specific phase work towards achieving the learning outcomes of the national school curriculum (where appropriate).

3. To improve community-based ECD services for young children by raising the level of ECD teaching competence and/or by providing opportunities for training in support and leadership roles.

This qualification provides a substantial qualification for:

Potential learners/educators who have acquired an FETC (Grade 12) or equivalent qualification at Level 4 (120 credits) and who wish to make ECD their full-time career (entry point);

Learners/educators who have a Level 4 qualification in ECD to further their career and professional development in ECD by providing access to a Level 6 qualification;

Learners/educators who have a Higher Certificate in ECD to further their career and professional development in ECD by providing access to a Level 6 qualification.