Department of Early Childhood Education

Welcome message

The Department of Early Childhood Education offers several accredited degrees, prepares new teachers, upgrade under-qualified teachers in this field from undergraduate to Doctoral level in the life-long continuum as leaders, thinkers, and facilitators of change.  The preparation of these students requires rigorous programmes of study which recognize that knowledgeable teaching is a complex act based on deep understandings about pedagogy, learning, learners, subject matter content, and how these areas of understanding interact in the teaching-learning process. The Department recognizes the need for a strong field-based component in all of its programmes to develop insightful, facilitative, and effective teaching. Teaching is viewed as a facilitative process which requires the continual application of knowledge and skills in the classroom. As such, the Department is committed to planning, implementing, and assessing programmes that prepare educational professionals who are focused on student learning.

Vision:

• The Department of ECE strives to be a leading provider of quality community, based education focused for rural and regional development of the early childhood education.

 Mission:

• The ECE departments providing students with open and distance learning (ODL) education programmes and developing them into efficient teachers capable of promoting learning in children from birth to the age of nine years;
• To also provide education that will promote personal development, empowerment and enhance the capacity of our students;
• Conducting research that will address early learning development and challenges and contribute to the body of knowledge in the field;
• Engaging in community activities that will contribute towards growth and progress in the early learning sector;
• Expanding collaborative partnerships with other Institutions of Higher Education and ECD organisations.

Values:

• Quality and excellence: Strive to the highest standards as benchmarked and evaluated by peers
• Accountability: Commitment to good and responsible use of human, fiscal and physical resources entrusted to us to deliver on and be answerable to our mandate
• Transparency: Openness to public scrutiny on our actions, processes and use of our resources
• Integrity: Consistently espousing and practicing honesty, truth and freedom in all we do
• Respect: Treating all stakeholders with civility and dignity
• Diversity: Recognition that diversity and excellence are mutually inclusive, enhancing our teaching, scholarship, and community engagement
• Social responsibility and community engagement: Contributing to the best extent possible, to the intellectual, social, and economic well-being of the communities we serve
• Ubuntu: we create a caring and supporting environment where we take care of one another.

Undergraduate qualifications offered:

• Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

Postgraduate qualifications offered:

• Bachelor of Education Honours in Early Childhood Education
• Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
• Doctor of Education in Early Childhood Education

Undergraduate qualifications admission requirements

• Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

As an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) qualification, the BED (Foundation Phase Teaching) admits candidates with a National Senior Certificate (NSC) or an NQF Level 4 National Certificate (Vocational) who have an endorsement for entry into Bachelor studies and with appropriate subject combinations and levels of achievement, as prescribed by the University of Venda’s entry requirements for undergraduate degrees. Teachers who are in possession of a recognised certificate or diploma in education or another relevant field may also present their qualifications for entry into a BEd (FP) with a possibility of transfer of credits, for cognate previous studies. Further, the University of Venda has a policy on assessment of recognition prior learning (RPL) that could also lead to admission to the programme upon adequate presentation and evaluation of prior learning that s relevant to the degree programme.

In general, applicants are selected on the basis of the following:

An applicant who obtained a National Senior Certificate (NSC) or an NQF Level 4 National Certificate (Vocational) with endorsement for entry into Bachelor studies and with appropriate subject combinations and levels of achievement. A candidate for the degree must have obtained the Matriculation Certificate of the Committee of University Principals (SAUVCA) Matriculation Board, NSC/NCV Certificate, a certificate of exemption granted by the Board or any other certificate that the Senate may approve.

An applicant must have obtained at least 50% in English First Additional Language. Applicants who completed their school education before 2008 must have achieved at least an E for English Higher Grade or a D for English Second Language Standard Grade to be admitted. Qualifications obtained outside the Republic of South Africa must be evaluated and approved by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Appropriate prior learning in the relevant field of study will also be recognised as a criterion for admission. An applicant with prior learning and relevant work experience may, after being assessed in a selection process approved by the Senate, qualify for admission to a bachelor’s degree programme.

Postgraduate qualifications admission requirements:

• Bachelor of Education Honours in Early Childhood Education

The minimum admission requirements for the Bachelor of Education Honours Degree in Early Childhood Education is a four-year Professional Teaching Degree or an appropriate Bachelor’s Degree and a Recognised Professional Teaching Qualification, or (a) four-year professional teaching qualification(s) as well as an Advanced Diploma in a cognate sub-field of Education.

Career opportunities undergraduate qualification:

• Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

The qualification provides future early childhood teachers with skills of teaching in foundation classrooms. It provides for advancement in career path as it articulates into the Bachelor of Education Honours in Early Childhood Education. With BED FP one can rise from a teacher to a senior teacher, head of department, curriculum adviser and different levels of management in basic education.

• Bachelor of Education Honours in Early Childhood Education

The qualification provides future early childhood researchers who will be able to research on various topics within Foundation Phase, department and school management, curriculum development, and methods of early childhood teaching and learning. The qualification provides future early childhood teachers to be in various positions of school management team leaders such as principal, deputy principal, departmental heads, and curriculum advisors.