The Need for ECD

Date Released: Thu, 30 June 2011 16:36 +0200

The 2011 Annual National Assessment (ANA) results were released by the Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshegka earlier this week. The ANA is the most comprehensive assessment of literacy and numeracy skills in young learners ever conducted in South Africa. More than six-million Foundation Phase learners (GrR-3) and intermediate phase learners (Grd 4-6) attending government schools around the country wrote the ANA. The results paint a bleak picture for the future of these young learners. Only 12% of Grd 6 learners scored 50% or more for mathematics. The results for language show that as few as 15% of pupils scored more than 50%. Among the Grd 3 learners tested, only 17% scored more than 50% in their numeracy assessment and 31% scored more than 50% in their literacy. The national average among Grd 3 learners in literacy was 35% and in numeracy 28%.

The above highlights the importance of quality education during the Early Childhood development phase (0-9 years) of a child’s life. The Department of Education’s White Paper 5 defines ECD as a comprehensive approach to policies and programmes for children from birth to nine years, yet the focus on formal ECD provision seems to start only with Grade R. It was highlighted that although Grade R plays a bridging role into formal schooling, children’s needs are still centred on the developmental domains and play and it is crucial that teachers understand and know the needs of children at the various developmental stages during early childhood. Organisations focussed on teaching and learning ECD programmes, like the Centre for Social Development at Rhodes University, should be recognised for the critical role they play in providing ECD training to practitioners. CSD offers Level 4 and 5 training that focus on an understanding of how to facilitate learning through play, as well as understanding the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). A lot of emphasis is placed on emergent literacy and numeracy facilitation. 

Educational interventions in the past have been mainly focussed on the Grd’s 10,11 and 12 and usually only aimed at mathematics and science, Mothsega admits that there has been an under-emphasis in education on basic skills such as reading and writing. There is no quick fix for the current educational crisis we are experiencing (as reflected in the ANA results) but with the recognition and application of quality ECD interventions, at least a solid foundation will be there to build on , and the impact of such interventions will show in years to come.