In South Africa, the vital early childhood development (ECD) sector, primarily led by women, extends services beyond mere childcare to education, nutrition, and safety, simultaneously fostering community employment and business sustainability. Traditionally overseen by the Department of Social Development and now under the Basic Education banner, the sector thrives on an entrepreneurial spirit, embracing both for-profit and non-profit models amidst informal economic practices. Despite their dedication and long hours, these female ECD practitioners face significant financial and professional hurdles, highlighted by a World Bank report on the exploitation in the informal sector.

Many ECD leaders, holding qualifications from vocational colleges, face barriers to university education, restricting their potential to enhance their businesses and incomes. Investigating these challenges, my doctoral research explored the recognition of prior learning (RPL) as a pathway for these women to access higher education, potentially elevating their socio-economic status and contributing to societal advancement, given the crucial role of ECD in child development.

Interviews with 11 Cape Town-based ECD professionals revealed systemic educational roadblocks. Despite possessing vocational qualifications, their university applications were often rejected due to insufficient secondary education results or age factors. The inconsistency and complexity in the RPL application process across universities further complicates their academic aspirations.

One participant's successful yet stalled RPL journey due to university administrative inefficiencies underscores the need for a unified RPL policy and greater university acceptance of vocational ECD qualifications. Such reforms could significantly empower these women and, by extension, the broader community, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive educational framework in South Africa.