Across South Africa, many early childhood development (ECD) centres are built with deep care and commitment to children, yet operate under constant financial pressure. Low fees, rising costs, compliance requirements and limited business skills mean that many centres function with very little margin for error.
This was the reality facing many of the 97 ECD centre owners and principals who participated in the 2025 ECD Business Accelerator trainings funded by Zensar and implemented by Grow ECD. The ECD Accelerator is a 6-day training bootcamp that empowers ECD centre leaders with the critical business mindset, skills and tools to take their preschool to the next level.
While quality learning is often the focus of ECD support, the sustainability of centres as businesses is just as critical. And far less frequently addressed.
Zensar recognised this gap.
By intentionally choosing to support ECD centres as small businesses, Zensar’s partnership with Grow ECD focused on strengthening the financial and operational foundations that allow quality early learning to endure. This approach acknowledges that without sound business practices, even the most dedicated centres struggle to survive.
While these centre owners were deeply committed to quality early learning, many were running their centres under financial and operational strain.
This is where the right partnership changed the trajectory.
The challenge: strong centres owners, fragile business foundations
Importantly, the Accelerator programme begins with centre owners with huge potential.
Baseline data showed that many participating centres were already rating themselves highly in key areas such as safety, hygiene, paying staff on time, and prioritising qualified teachers. Several centre owners also demonstrated strong leadership potential and high engagement with Grow ECD’s digital centre management tools, including the Grow Apps and Resource Centre.
These indicators reflected dedication, good school management and a clear commitment to improvement.
What many centres lacked was not motivation or care, but access to structured business management knowledge and the skills and tools to implement best practice and strengthen what was already working.
The intervention: business skills for ECD leaders
The Zensar-funded ECD Business Accelerators were designed to address a critical gap in the sector: ECD centres are both places of learning and small businesses. Without strong business foundations, quality education is difficult to sustain.
Delivered as 6 full-day modules over 6 consecutive weeks in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, the programme focused on the real-world demands of running an ECD centre. The six core modules included:
- Personal Leadership
- Me and My Money – My Journey to Financial Freedom
- How to Run a Sustainable Centre (Part 1 and Part 2)
- How to Register My ECD Centre
- Quality Education Programmes
These Accelerator trainings enabled Grow ECD to deliver practical, structured business and leadership learning to ECD owners across three communities between August and October 2025.
The experience: learning that resonated
Participant feedback highlighted not only the relevance of the content, but how it was delivered.
Across all regions, modules were consistently rated as “very helpful”, with participants describing the sessions as “challenging”, “engaging”, “fun/enjoyable” and “thought provoking”. Even the more technical financial modules maintained strong engagement, despite introducing new and sometimes unfamiliar business concepts such as cash flow or break even.
Attendance remained above 90 percent throughout the programme, reflecting the value participants placed on the training and their commitment to strengthening their centres.
For many owners, this was the first opportunity to examine their centre clearly as a business, supported by practical tools and guided reflection.
The outcomes: from survival to stability
Participants showed meaningful improvement across nearly every business and leadership indicator measured, including:
- Understanding minimum wage requirements (+1.4 points increase)
- Knowing what fees to charge to cover expenses (+1.0 point)
- Capturing income and expenses monthly (+1.1 points)
- Calculating centre capacity (+1.1 points)
- Saving and planning for financial fluctuations (+1.2 points)
Operational systems also strengthened, with improvements in expense tracking, cashflow planning, policies and procedures, and the use of technology for administration.
Notably, fewer participants agreed with the statement “I have many parents who do not pay school fees” by the end of the programme, suggesting early positive shifts in fee communication and follow-up practices.
These are not abstract improvements. They are the foundations of stability for ECD centres operating in under-resourced contexts.
What the partnership made possible
The Zensar-funded Accelerators did more than transfer knowledge.
They enabled ECD centre owners to move from reactive, instinct-led decision-making to running their centres with greater confidence, clarity and structure. Participants reported feeling better equipped to manage staff, separate personal and business finances, understand compliance requirements and plan for fluctuating income.
This ECD partnership illustrates what is possible when local business invests in local ECD leadership, strengthening centres that already care deeply about children and community outcomes.
As a next step, participating centres are being considered for site visits and potential entry into Grow ECD’s full Small Business Programme, continuing their journey toward long-term sustainability.
When ECD centre owners are supported to build viable businesses, children, families and communities benefit. That is the true return on a well-designed ECD partnership.
Interested in partnering with Grow ECD? Get in touch with our Head of Partnerships to learn more: LyndseyPetro@growecd.org.za