The recent signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill into law will have a positive impact on early childhood development. 

Starting school at an early age can play a crucial role in protecting children from a range of adversities such as unintentional injuries, violence, abuse, childhood illnesses, malnutrition, and neglect. 

One of the changes in the Act is that Grade R is now compulsory and will be the starting grade for basic education instead of Grade 1. This means that the National School Nutrition Programme which reaches over nine million children of school-going age every year will now be extended to include Grade R.

According to the University of Cape Town’s South African Early Childhood Review 2024, most children are born to disadvantaged families. As a result, they don’t have access to quality health services, good nutrition, and they have limited opportunities for quality early learning.  

The report shows that 70% of children under six live in households that are defined as poor and cannot afford to meet nutritional needs. 

Arno Van Der Merwe from the SA Childcare Association says that most early childhood development centres are privately owned and do not have nutritional programmes.

“The Grade R pupil will access the nutrition school programme a year earlier. Research shows that there is a massive benefit to children having access to good nutritious food. This helps with their brain development, maintains healthy weight and supports healthy growth,” he says.

He also mentions that although it is beneficial for children to start school earlier, a chalk-and-talk approach will not help as Grade R pupils learn through play. 

Benefits of investing in early schooling

According to a recently published Child Gauge – University of Cape Town report that monitors children’s status in South Africa –  children’s optimal development depends on whether they have access to comprehensive services including health, education, and nutrition. The Child Gauge also emphasises that tackling complex societal challenges starts with early childhood. 

Early schooling also determines the children’s future as what happens in the early years is critical for a child’s developmental trajectory as this impacts their physical and mental health and well-being.

“Investing in the early years, particularly in disadvantaged communities, can have long-lasting positive effects on children’s overall development and wellbeing. This is because young children are naturally wired to actively construct knowledge and understanding of the world(s) around them,” Dr Linda Bosman, an early childhood specialist from Stellenbosch University tells Health-e News. 

She says children need quality education and nurturing care to thrive, including good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, quality learning opportunities, and caregivers who are sensitive and responsive to their needs.

“Children who are undernourished or unhealthy may not respond adequately to environmental stimuli, which can negatively impact other areas of their development and inhibit their full potential.” 

Bosman says it is important to make the most of the sensitive developmental stage through quality investment, such as a stimulating environment and meaningful interactions, as these shape the architecture of children’s brains.  

Currently, Grade R helps pupils to develop skills in basic literacy and numeracy, gross motor skills and social emotional abilities. However, not all parents can afford to send their children to Grade R as most are private.

She says brain development influences children’s progress in all areas like physical skills, cognitive, social, emotional, language, and even academic, affecting how they navigate their future learning and life experiences.

Professor Linda Richter from Wits University DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development agrees that including Grade R in basic education is a game changer for Grade R pupils as being part of the school foundation will increase their knowledge and social skills.

“The Grade R is universal in the country and the fact that it is becoming compulsory school-going age is a good thing. This will increase their knowledge and social interaction with other children. Majority of Grade R pupils are already attending pre-preschool. However, not everyone can afford to take their children to a pre-preschool as these are often private schools,” Richter says. 

She says now that Grade R will be part of the foundation phase, it will also be included in the school nutrition programme meaning the children will be provided with a meal.  This, Richter says, will ensure that these children are likely to have better nutritional status. 

According to experts, children who are undernourished may not respond adequately to environmental stimuli, which can negatively impact other areas of their development and inhibit their full potential.

Early start will not improve dropout rate 

South Africa’s dropout rate is a pressing concern, however, experts say an early start at school will not help improve this. 

Statistics South Africa estimates that out of 100 pupils starting grade 1, about 40 will sit for the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination. Data also shows that the drop-out rates are the highest among the higher grades, with grade 11 at 24,08% and grade 10 at 14,84% respectively. 

 According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), between 2021 and mid 2022, 750 000 pupils dropped out of school.

Bosman says the reality in South Africa is that simply extending the years of compulsory schooling will not, on its own, solve the dropout crisis. 

“The dropout rate is intricately linked to broader societal issues, including poverty, inequality, and violence. Children leave school for numerous reasons: poverty, the need to support family income, substance abuse, bullying, poor school performance, teenage pregnancy, and school-related issues such as disliking the environment or conflict with teachers,” she says. 

Richter adds that when parents can’t afford to buy things like uniforms for their children, they end up dropping out of school. 

Van Der Merwe says the longer a child stays in school the better. 

“The reasons why children drop out of school should rather be looked at on one on one basis and then be addressed. I am not confident that the additional Grade R would make a big impact on the amount of drop-outs later in life,” he says. – Health-e News