Global children’s charity Theirworld called on the South African government to prioritise early childhood education through new funding to support high-quality care and pre-school programmes.

Theirworld president Justin van Fleet said such an investment was a necessary foundation for South Africa to ensure that all children thrive and succeed in their early years.

Theirworld stressed that early childhood education was the foundation of learning, and that this could not be neglected.

“The data from South Africa is concerning, but it also provides a clear mandate for action. We need the government, donors, and businesses to step up and make early years education a priority. The future of our children, and indeed our world, depends on it,” the charity said.

Theirworld in collaboration with insight agency Hall & Partners, polled about 2 600 teachers and school professionals across South Africa, the UK, the US, Brazil, India, and the Netherlands, finding that a significant proportion of South African children are starting school without being developmentally ready, placing them at a disadvantage compared with their international peers.

The global charity said the findings highlighted a growing concern that South African children were falling behind in critical areas of development, with most primary school professionals in South Africa believing that only a small amount of pupils can go to the toilet independently or wash their hands when they start school.

The survey also found that only 25% of primary school teachers think that 80% or more of their pupils can perform these age-appropriate tasks, and that only 24% of primary school teachers in South Africa believe that most of their pupils can identify simple letters or words, including their own name when they start school. 

“The figures highlight the significant developmental challenges faced by children entering school in South Africa, placing the country among those where children are least likely to be developmentally ready,” Theirworld said.

It highlighted that South Africa's low investment in early childhood development (ECD) was a key factor contributing to this crisis, noting that without increased funding and support for ECD programmes, South Africa risked leaving a significant portion of its future workforce unprepared to meet the demands of the education system and, later, the job market.