Thrive by Five Index 2024 reveals alarming gaps in child development
The Thrive by Five Index 2024, the most comprehensive national dataset collected on early childhood development in South Africa, was launched by the Department of Basic Education, in partnership with DataDrive2030, last week.
The Thrive by Five Index 2024, the most comprehensive national dataset collected on early childhood development in South Africa, was launched by the Department of Basic Education, in partnership with DataDrive2030, last week.
The index provides a critical snapshot of how four-year-olds across the country are developing across three core dimensions: early learning, physical growth, and social-emotional functioning.
This second iteration of the index builds on the foundation laid in the 2021 report, with expanded scope, methodological rigour, and, for the first time, a sub-study focused on children not enrolled in any early learning programme (ELP). In total, over 5,000 children enrolled in ELPs were assessed, alongside more than 270 children who are currently excluded from formal early learning opportunities.
“The early years are the foundation of a child’s development, and they set the chart on which direction children will most likely go in life. However, too many young children, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities, are not receiving the appropriate building blocks and are being left behind,” said Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube.
“The Thrive by Five Index is a crucial tool to guide urgent, focused action. If we want to build a stronger, more stable education system, we must start at the beginning. When a child learns to read with meaning, solves problems with confidence, and feels supported in the classroom, they begin to realise their own potential, and that’s where lasting change begins.”
READ MORE: https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/thrive-by-five-index-2024-reveals-alarming-gaps-in-child-development-398818a
The index provides a critical snapshot of how four-year-olds across the country are developing across three core dimensions: early learning, physical growth, and social-emotional functioning.
This second iteration of the index builds on the foundation laid in the 2021 report, with expanded scope, methodological rigour, and, for the first time, a sub-study focused on children not enrolled in any early learning programme (ELP). In total, over 5,000 children enrolled in ELPs were assessed, alongside more than 270 children who are currently excluded from formal early learning opportunities.
“The early years are the foundation of a child’s development, and they set the chart on which direction children will most likely go in life. However, too many young children, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities, are not receiving the appropriate building blocks and are being left behind,” said Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube.
“The Thrive by Five Index is a crucial tool to guide urgent, focused action. If we want to build a stronger, more stable education system, we must start at the beginning. When a child learns to read with meaning, solves problems with confidence, and feels supported in the classroom, they begin to realise their own potential, and that’s where lasting change begins.”
READ MORE: https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/thrive-by-five-index-2024-reveals-alarming-gaps-in-child-development-398818a
