Effective early learning is the best investment in our future

Dear Fellow South African,

Last year, our country achieved a record matriculation pass rate of 87%. This is a welcome sign that efforts to transform our education system are bearing fruit.

However, too many learners drop out of school before writing matric and others struggle to get good marks, in part because they do not get the grounding they need in the early learning years.

Last week the 2030 Reading Panel, which was set up to look into early-grade level reading skills, released a report showing that 80% of Grade 3 learners cannot read for meaning in any language, including their home language. Similarly stark findings for South Africa were revealed in a recently published study that surveys Trends in International Mathematics and Science capabilities in Grades 4 and 8.

Mastering basic skills in reading and maths at foundation level often determines how a learner will perform later in school and beyond.

That is why the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla held in Gauteng last week focused on expanding Early Childhood Development (ECD) and improving numeracy and early grade reading.

One of the most damaging effects of Bantu Education was the deliberate neglect of black children when it came to the provision of foundation years learning. One study published in 1992 found that during apartheid only 6% of black children had access to quality ECD programmes, compared to one third of all white children.

We have spent the last 30 years trying to correct this. This effort has now received greater impetus with the passage of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act. This Act makes Grade R, the reception year before Grade 1, compulsory.

Through an enhanced focus on ECD, the Act will help ensure that young children are better prepared for formal schooling. Early Childhood Development plays a critical role in developing early literacy, early numeracy and social-emotional skills during an important time in a child’s cognitive development.

Quality ECD provision promotes social equality. Children from poor families benefit most from access to ECD. As the learning journey progresses, quality ECD is also linked to better transitions into high school, lower repetition and dropout rates, and better academic performance overall.

The Basic Education Sector Lekgotla discussed how best to realign the existing education curriculum to strengthen foundational learning, including through ongoing assessments, scaling up teacher training and development, and expanding the provision of ECD learning and teacher support material.

In addition to its negative impact on future learning, weaknesses in early literacy and numeracy narrow the career options that learners will have later in life.

It is widely recognised that investing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education is key to economic growth, job creation, productivity and economic competitiveness. Such education prepares young people for a diverse range of occupations that are most needed by a growing economy.

A recent report by the World Economic Forum on the future of jobs shows that the need for science, technology, engineering and mathematics related jobs are fast outstripping ‘traditional’ occupations, which are on the decline in the face of technological advances. Our basic education system has to produce learners that are able to find work in an ever-changing knowledge and technology based global economy.

The efforts of the Department of Basic Education to strengthen the provision of technical and vocational pathways to learners in high school are therefore to be welcomed. Even in more industrialised economies than ours, technical and vocational training is recognised as a solid pathway to employment and entrepreneurship.

The World Bank’s recent South Africa Economic Update pointed to basic education as a key enabler of inclusive growth in South Africa. It highlighted a set of potential reforms, including prioritising foundational years and focusing on building numeracy and literacy capabilities.

Better educational outcomes in basic education are linked to broader social and economic development. Education is a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty, to uplift individuals and communities, and to bring about a more equitable society.

As was evident from the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, all stakeholders in the education space are committed to prioritising foundational learning as the most effective means to enable young South Africans to succeed and thrive far into the future.