Durban | 14 May 2026 - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli led the sitting of the Early Childhood Development Strategic Dialogue at the Archie Gumede Conference Centre on Thursday, 14 May 2026.

The dialogue brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on the future of early childhood development and its role in building a stronger foundation for lifelong learning, skills development and economic participation.

During his opening remarks, Premier Ntuli paid tribute to learners from Clairwood Early Development Centre, who delivered a moving performance at the event. He said their presence affirmed the principle of “nothing about us without us”, underscoring the importance of placing children at the centre of discussions that shape their future.

Premier Ntuli emphasised that early childhood development is a critical entry point for addressing the skills mismatch in society. He noted that interventions must begin at foundation phase level to ensure that learners are equipped with relevant skills long before they reach tertiary education or enter the labour market.

“The ECD Strategic Dialogue is aimed at addressing the skills mismatch at a foundation phase so that learners are armed with skills for the future by the time they reach tertiary level. It is important that we expose learners to skills that will help them to participate meaningfully in the economy,” said Premier Ntuli.

The Premier further highlighted the need for stronger coordination between government, educators, parents, communities and development partners to ensure that early learning programmes respond to the realities of a changing world.

The Strategic Dialogue reaffirmed the Provincial Government’s commitment to investing in children from the earliest stages of development, ensuring that every learner is given a fair opportunity to grow, learn and contribute meaningfully to KwaZulu-Natal’s future.