President Cyril Ramaphosa says efforts are underway to improve early-grade reading and numeracy, warning that thousands of children leave the Foundation Phase without basic literacy and math skills.

He said the gap burdens the entire education system.

He was speaking on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Benoni, Gauteng.

The annual Lekgotla runs from 20 to 22 January 2026 under the theme “Strengthening Foundations for a Resilient and Future-Ready Education System.”

Its focus areas include improving access to and quality of early childhood development (ECD), strengthening literacy and numeracy across all phases of schooling, particularly the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3) – expanding inclusive education, and improving the safety and quality of school environments.

Ramaphosa described education as “the engine of development”.

“Through education we lift our people out of poverty and overcome inequality,” he said.

He said that the National Development Plan (NDP) envisages an education system in which all learners are equipped with strong foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and science, enabling them to succeed later in schooling and participate meaningfully in the economy and society.

“As a country, our commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin where it matters most: in the early grades, where the foundations for all future learning are laid,” he said.

He said strengthening early-grade reading and numeracy is both a national priority and a moral imperative.

“When children do not learn to read for meaning or work confidently with numbers by the end of the Foundation Phase, the cost is borne by the entire education system,” he said.

“Unless we get it right at the outset, learners spend the rest of their school careers trying to catch up. We see this in repetition, dropout, weak progression and the tragic loss of human potential.”

He said the government is intensifying its focus on evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy, ensuring classrooms are supported by a coherent curriculum, well-trained teachers and high-quality, age-appropriate and culturally relevant learning materials.

“By investing in foundational learning, we are building a resilient education system that can sustain learning, adapt to shocks and equip every child with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” he said.

Ramaphosa added that South Africa stands to gain from collaboration with other countries.

“We are delighted to be part of the Heads of State Network on Foundational Learning, formed during the recent G20 education meetings, alongside India and Brazil,” he said.

“We also stand to benefit immensely from the lessons of our BRICS partners as we confront shared challenges.”

He said the 2025 National Senior Certificate results reinforce the view that without strong foundations in early schooling, inequality re-emerges later in the system.

“Three decades ago, only around half of learners obtained a matric certificate. Last year, 88% of learners attained the National Senior Certificate,” he said.

More encouraging, he added, is that over the past decade the sector has doubled the number of learners qualifying for admission to bachelor’s degree studies.

“Perhaps the most profound achievement of the Class of 2025 is a silent revolution,” he said. “More than 66% of learners who qualified for bachelor’s studies came from no-fee schools.”

This means, he said, that more than 200,000 learners from the poorest households now have access to higher education, while over half a million social grant recipients attained matric. 

Of these, 250,000 qualified for bachelor’s studies.

Ramaphosa also highlighted improved outcomes for learners with special education needs, noting that 90% passed matric and 52% achieved bachelor passes – both higher than the national average.

However, he warned of the slow growth in vocational and occupational education.

“Vocational and occupational education plays a vital role in preparing young people for the world of work and supporting economic growth,” he said. 

“The economy urgently needs these skills.”

He said basic education must do more to prepare learners for a “skills revolution” and called for stronger partnerships with industry.

Ramaphosa  said while matric results are important, he stressed that more effort is needed to ensure learners complete their schooling.

“It is distressing that nearly half a million children who entered Grade 1 in 2014 left school before reaching their matric year in 2025,” he said. 

“Most dropped out between Grades 10 and 12.”

He called on the education department, teachers, parents and communities to work together to support learners at risk of dropping out and to address causes ranging from financial pressure and poor academic performance to domestic responsibilities.

Ramaphosa reiterated that early learning, from birth to nine years, must be firmly anchored at the core of the education system.

“Early learning lays the groundwork for cognitive, social and emotional development,” he said, adding that quality early education better prepares children for future learning and lifelong success.

He also called for real-time literacy and reading programmes to track progress more effectively and urged a “bold shift” to embed early childhood development within the basic education system.

“If we invest early, we invest wisely,” he said.

He called on the government, civil society, the private sector and communities to make foundational learning “the heartbeat” of the education system.

Ramaphosa stressed that quality education is impossible without safe and healthy learning environments, saying schools must be free of violence and supportive of learners’ well-being.

He praised the National School Nutrition Programme, which feeds nearly 10 million learners, and said no child’s education should be compromised by hunger or preventable illness.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to mother tongue-based bilingual education, adding that by the end of 2025 nearly 12,000 schools had access to the programme.

“Globally, strong literacy and numeracy outcomes are rooted in learners’ mother tongues,” he said, 

He added that teacher training and curriculum alignment are being expanded despite ongoing challenges such as resource constraints and negative attitudes towards African languages.

Ramaphosa said underlying all education reform is the central role of teachers.

“We must plan with teachers, support them to deliver and safeguard their well-being and professional dignity,” he said.

“No single institution can succeed alone. Partnership and collaboration are essential.”

Ramaphosa said by confronting the literacy crisis, strengthening foundational learning and investing in teachers and safe learning environments, South Africa is laying a firmer foundation for learner success.

“In doing so, we are not only transforming education,” he said. 

“We are building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready education system worthy of all the children of South Africa.”

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL News

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