South Africa early childhood development
By the time a child turns five, the foundations for lifelong learning, health, and well-being are already in place.
The Thrive by Five Index 2024 offers the most comprehensive picture yet of how well South Africa’s 4-yearolds are developing. These are the children who will enter formal schooling in the next year or two, and their readiness is a strong predictor of future school performance.
The 2024 findings offer a clear and urgent message: only 42% of children are On Track for early learning. Girls are ahead (48% On Track vs 37% of boys), while children in Higher Fee ELPs are twice as likely to be On Track as those in the poorest ELPs. The Index is based on direct assessments with 5,000+ children aged 50–59 months attending 1,388 Early Learning Programmes (ELPs).
It tracks progress in three core areas of development: • Early learning • Physical growth (with a focus on stunting) • Social-emotional functioning This is the second round of the Thrive by Five Index, following the inaugural 2021 Index.
The 2024 Index offers a data-driven, nationally representative picture of how South African children are developing before formal schooling begins, and highlights the structural barriers that shape children’s early opportunities.
The findings also highlight opportunity: progress is possible, especially when we create the right environments to support children’s development. While socio-economic status sets the stage, it’s children’s ability to stay engaged, focus on tasks, and regulate their emotions that often determine how well they perform. These skills can and should be developed, and doing so offers a powerful way to improve early learning outcomes, especially for children in less advantaged settings.
Access the summary document HERE.
