Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education
Support young minds. Inspire early learning. Build foundations for the future.
Your programme
What is this programme?
The Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education develops the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to support young children’s learning, development and well-being.
You’ll learn about child development, early learning, inclusive practice and well-being while developing practical skills to facilitate age-appropriate learning and play, observe progress and create supportive learning environments.
Build foundations for the future
Why choose this programme?
Build practical skills to support young children’s learning, development and well-being.
Develop knowledge of child development, early learning and inclusive practice.
Prepare for opportunities working with young children in the ECD sector.
Build a strong foundation for further professional and academic development.
Graduate with Proof.
Graduate with proof, not just a qualification, through NGI Accelerate, which enables you to build additional certifications and a stronger professional profile while you study.
Where this can take you
Career opportunities
Your learning journey
Key areas of study
Compulsory
- Teaching Practice (WIL)
- Academic Literacies
- Historical and Contemporary Overview of ECCE
- Education as Profession and Function
- Early Childhood Development
- Planning and Facilitating Inclusive Learning and Development
- Well-being of the Whole Child
- Identity and Belonging
- Communication and Language Development
- Exploring Mathematics
- Creativity and Problem-Solving
- Knowledge and Understanding of the World
Electives
- Language of Communicative Competence: isiZulu
- Language of Communicative Competence: isiXhosa
- Language of Communicative Competence: Sesotho
Your route in
Admission requirements
You can qualify through one of the following entry pathways.
National Senior Certificate
NSC with Higher Certificate admission
National Certificate Vocational
NCV with Higher Certificate admission endorsement and required language requirements
Relevant prior qualification
Relevant NQF Level 4 qualification
Connect with an advisor to understand the route that applies to you.
BAC Accredited
Recognised for internationally benchmarked quality.
NewBridge Graduate Institute is proud to be accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC), an internationally recognised independent body that accredits institutions meeting rigorous global standards of academic and operational excellence. This accreditation confirms NGI’s commitment to delivering quality education and fostering a supportive learning environment.
For students and parents, this means the assurance of studying at a trusted, globally recognised institution. BAC accreditation affirms NGI’s commitment to international standards of quality, strengthening confidence in the education students receive and supporting pathways to further study and career success locally and internationally.
This also aligns with NGI’s existing positioning of BAC as an international accreditation that provides additional assurance of quality, governance and academic standards.
View NGI accreditations →NewBridge Graduate Institute is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act No. 101 of 1997. Registration no: 2001/HE07/003
