Only four in ten children in South Africa’s Early Learning Programmes are ready for school. The latest Thrive by Five Index shows that most four-year-olds in these programmes do not have the basic skills they need when they enter Grade 1.

The 2024 results paint a sharp divide. Forty two percent are on track. Thirty percent are falling behind. Twenty eight percent are falling far behind. These numbers come from South Africa’s homegrown system for tracking child development, the Thrive by Five Index, which uses the ELOM tool to assess early learning.

The study is led by the Department of Basic Education and coordinated by DataDrive2030. It measures the development of four-year-olds across all nine provinces. The Index launched in 2021 and runs every three years, with four rounds planned through 2030.

When it comes to gender, girls show higher rates of being On Track (48%) compared to boys (37%). This difference is largely due to a significantly lower proportion of girls (24%) Falling Far Behind compared to boys (35%). This gender gap is consistent across all developmental domains except Gross Motor Development.

Every parent wants their child to get the best education possible. Still, the hard reality is that many are facing economic setbacks, and fees at quality Early Learning Programmes do not come cheaply.

The percentage of children who are “On Track” varies significantly depending on the monthly fees of their ELPs, which is indicative of socio-economic status. Children in the lowest fee category, ELPs charging less than R50 per month, have an On Track rate of only 34%, while 69% of children in the highest fee category are On Track. This clearly demonstrates a performance gap tied to access and affordability.

Children from households able to pay higher fees and attending well-resourced ELPs are considerably more likely to enter school with strong foundational learning skills.

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Performance Variation in Developmental Domains

The percentage of children classified as “On Track” shows considerable variation across the five domains measured by the ELOM 4&5:

Emergent Literacy and Language: 53% On Track. Girls (57%) outperform boys (48%).

Gross Motor Development: 44% On Track. The only domain where boys outperform girls.

Cognition and Executive Functioning: 40% On Track. Performance rises sharply with fee level.

Emergent Numeracy and Mathematics: 33% On Track. Performance increases with fee level.

Fine Motor Coordination and Visual Motor Integration: Just 29% On Track — the lowest-performing domain.

Severe Developmental Deficits in Early Learning

Among non-enrolled children, outcomes are even more alarming. Only 18% are developmentally On Track for early learning, and 55% are Falling Far Behind. Over 80% fail to meet age-appropriate milestones in critical areas like fine motor skills, cognition, and numeracy.

These deficits are closely tied to extreme household vulnerability:

Over 65% live in informal dwellings

70% lack access to tap water

76% depend on the Child Support Grant, which falls below the food poverty line

77% of caregivers have no children’s books at home

Despite this, more than half of caregivers believe their children are meeting developmental expectations — highlighting how unseen and misunderstood early delays often are.

What this looks like in real life: An ECD teacher speaks

Elisha Chetty, an Early Childhood Development and Grade R practitioner, spoke to IOL about what these numbers mean for real classrooms and for the country’s youngest learners.

The building blocks of learning

Asked how early skills shape a child’s ability to learn once they enter formal schooling, she explained:

“Language, executive function, and motor skills are truly the foundation of everything a child does once they enter formal schooling. When these skills are strong, children adjust smoothly to Grade R. When they are weak, the gaps show immediately academically, socially, and emotionally.”

She added that these skills are deeply interconnected: “Once there is a delay or gap in these learning areas, it can lead to difficulties across everything the child tries to do.”

Language is especially critical: “Language affects how children express themselves, understand instructions, and engage with learning and we must remember that English is not always a home language for both the child and the teacher.”

Behind the numbers: What delays look like in a classroom

While the data shows many children start school behind, she says it is even more striking in person: “When the data says children are ‘behind,’ you can see it very clearly.

“Children struggle to follow simple two-step instructions, have difficulty focusing even for short periods, show limited vocabulary, and battle to interact with peers.”

These challenges often shift the teacher’s role: “Teachers spend a lot of time helping children manage emotions and behaviour instead of focusing on learning.”

In the same classroom, she says: “You can have children fully ready for Grade R alongside those functioning at a 2–3-year-old developmental level.”

The inequality gap: Why it starts so early

She believes early inequality has very little to do with the classroom, and almost everything to do with the home environment.

“Access to stimulation, books, conversation, outdoor play, and early learning experiences all shape development long before Grade 1. Children who lack these experiences fall behind in language, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.”

Other major barriers include: “Nutrition, sleep, trauma, instability, and the increase in screen time replacing play. All of these factors widen the gap very quickly.”

Changing the trajectory: What works

Despite the challenges, Chetty has seen many children catch up: “I have seen many children catch up developmentally with the right support. Early intervention is powerful when it is consistent and intentional.”

What works best?

“Language-rich interactions, daily fine- and gross-motor activities, play-based learning, emotional coaching, and parent involvement. Real development continues at home.”

She added that collaboration is key: “Intervention works best when the parent and teacher both work together towards the goal of getting the child developmentally ready.”

Data into action: Using tools like ELOM and Thrive by Five

Chetty believes these tools are crucial for transforming early childhood development:

“Tools like ELOM help teachers identify delays early and adjust programmes before the child falls further behind.”

She says the data should guide policy and funding: “This information can drive curriculum planning, teacher training, parent workshops, and support for vulnerable communities.”

And reminds us that “Early childhood development is not babysitting, it is a crucial period of brain development, and what happens or doesn’t happen in these early years has lifelong impact.”

IOL 

 

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