About Us

The Department of Early Childhood Education is an active, dynamic and integral part of the School of Education at UNIVEN, fulfilling a pivotal role in subject-oriented teaching and the initial professional education of teachers (IPET/pre-service). This department focuses on training educators who will teach young children in Pre-Schools or Grades R to 3. It also focuses on education for Learners with Special Needs Education, Inclusive Education, Life Orientation and Guidance and Counseling. A qualification for teaching in the Foundation phase is BEdTEF.

This department also provides opportunities for in-service teachers to improve their qualifications and/or to re-direct their area of specialisation. The 2-year (part-time) diploma (NPDE) provides under-qualified teachers the opportunity to obtain ‘qualified teacher status’ and the 2-year part-time advanced certificate (ACE) is available in the specialisations of Remedial Education and Life Orientation.
The Department also benefits from the Funza Lushaka Bursary which caters among other areas the Foundation Phase Educators.  The department has many students who are lining up for graduation in the coming years.