S Africa targets 1.3m unregistered children with early childhood development reforms

Polity Audio Articles · Oct 19, 2026 · 3m

S Africa targets 1.3m unregistered children with early childhood development reforms

Government is hosting the second Bana Pele Leadership Summit in Gauteng this week, underscoring its commitment to expanding early childhood learning as a critical development priority and a vital tool to redress historical inequalities.

In his weekly letter to the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised that Grade R is now officially compulsory in South Africa, meaning children must acquire essential foundational skills by the age of five.

Despite this policy, a staggering 1.3-million children aged three…