NQF 4 qualification (131 Credits) consists of 7 Knowledge Modules (43 Credits), 6 Practical (43 Credits) and 4 Workplace Experience Components (45 Credits).

The Occupational Certificate: Early Childhood Development has been designed to meet the needs and interests of the early childhood development sector in various settings and contexts, with an inclusive focus on education, health and safety issues. There is a vast need for early childhood development services and competent practitioners must serve the field. In order to meet the needs at the early childhood development level, it is important to be able to identify and recognise competent early childhood development practitioners who are able to work in centre-based and non-centre-based early childhood development settings. 

This qualification will provide a means to give recognition to practitioners at an entry-level, thus making it possible for practitioners to increase their employment prospects within the Department of Basic Education. The Department of Social Development, through the registration of early childhood development centres and sites, may also provide business opportunities to successful practitioners who wish to establish early childhood centres and/or sites. It will also provide access to a recognised career path and provide the field with suitably qualified professional practitioners. 

The qualification will provide opportunities to people who wish to enter and/or continue learning in the early childhood development field, which includes the employed, under-employed but not qualified, and school leavers. Every child has the right to high-quality, holistic education and care, forming the critical foundation for further development and learning from childhood into adulthood. This necessitates the universal availability of high-quality early childhood development and education as a vital strategy to yield personal and long-term benefits to individual children, their families and society. Early childhood development is an essential component of economic development within the framework of childcare services. Changing social and economic needs require parents to enter the labour market. Therefore, quality early childhood development service provision is required to meet growing demands in the country, both in urban and rural settings.