Gwarube: Weak early foundations risk generational inequality
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has warned that South Africa risks perpetuating inequality for generations if urgent action is not taken to strengthen early childhood development.
She spoke at the launch of the 2024 Thrive by Five Index in Pretoria, a comprehensive national survey of how four-year-olds are developing before entering formal schooling, on Monday.
The index, compiled by DataDrive2030 in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, FirstRand Foundation, and other civil society partners, is the largest child development survey of its kind in Africa.
It provides fresh insights into literacy, language, nutrition, and motor skills, and follows up on the inaugural 2021 report.
According to the new data, only 42% of children are developmentally on track, while nearly half are at risk of falling behind before Grade 1. The report also revealed that children from high-fee schools are twice as likely to meet developmental milestones compared to those in poorer communities.
Stunting remains a serious concern as 7% of enrolled four-year-olds show signs of moderate to severe stunting, a figure Gwarube described as a “preventable tragedy in a country that has the resources to feed its children.”
Fine motor coordination, crucial for writing and reading readiness, is another weak spot — only 29 % of children are on track in this domain.
While emergent literacy and language skills fared slightly better at 53 % on track, experts caution that without motor skills, these gains are harder to consolidate when children start school.
Gwarube said the findings should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, educators, and communities.
"At the very least, what is happening is that we are shining a spotlight on a crisis. And we’ve got the courage to say, let’s measure, tell South Africans what it is that we are observing, and the courage to ask them to hold us to account."
She warned that early neglect leads to long-term difficulties.
"If the beginning of the story is weak, the chapters that will follow will always be harder to write. We cannot wait until matric to start worrying about outcomes. By then, it is far too late."
The minister stressed that the report confirms a direct link between poverty and poor child outcomes, echoing findings from the inaugural 2021 index.
"This is not just an education crisis, it is a South African crisis. The way you are born should not determine where you will end up. I don’t want to be part of a generation of leaders that accepts that inequality is destiny. We must change that," she said.
Children not enrolled in early learning programmes were found to be far more at risk of developmental delays, reinforcing the importance of universal access to quality early learning.
Gwarube highlighted recent steps taken by government, including a R10 billion allocation for Early Childhood Development (ECD) announced by the Minister of Finance earlier this year.
She said this funding will be directed towards expanding nutrition schemes, training ECD practitioners, and bringing non-enrolled children into early learning centres.
"It’s not enough to just have the funding. The funding needs to reach children exactly where they are, so that those who are behind can catch up. We must also be intolerant of corruption — money meant for children cannot be stolen."
The minister also underscored the importance of parental and community involvement.
"We have a responsibility to say to people that we have to read to children in their homes. Literacy begins long before Grade 1. It begins with the stories a child hears, the first time they hold a pencil, and the way their families encourage them to dream."
Gwarube acknowledged the role of civil society, NGOs, and the private sector in driving early learning progress.
She praised organisations such as UNICEF and BookDash, which have partnered with the Department of Basic Education to provide free multilingual children’s books across the country.
"This is not one problem for one department. It is a collective crisis, and if we are to undo inequality, then we must resolve it together. That is why we are building a blueprint to ensure that by 2030, no child is left behind because of where they were born or how much their parents earn."
Closing her remarks, the minister described the Thrive by Five Index as more than a research document.
"This index is not just a measure, it’s a movement. Now that we know more, we need to do more. Behind every number is a child with a life and a future. If we fail them at the start, we will fail South Africa as a whole," she said.
The launch coincided with World Literacy Day, underscoring the importance of building strong foundations for reading, writing, and learning in preschool.
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