Hands-on Learning Brief July 2025

Issue 30: July 2025

The legacy of Douglas and Eleanor Murray Invest in South Africa’s potential

DGMT is a South African public innovator through strategic investment. Our goal for South Africa is a flourishing people, economy and society. Towards this end, DGMT currently distributes about R200 million per year and leverages and manages a similar amount of funding through joint ventures with other investors.

Through the newly rebranded edition of our Hands-on Learning publication, we hope to play a helpful role in synthesising information from innovators and implementers in civil society, supporting them to share what they have learnt so that others are able to draw from and build on their experiences.

IN THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE

LEARNING BRIEF 1

Catching up: Lessons in implementing accelerated learning programmes in South Africa

In South Africa, eight out of every 10 Grade 4 learners in South Africa do not meet the low international benchmark for reading set by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which serves as an indicator of learners' ability to make sense of texts. The ability to recognise words and make sense of them is essential for reading and overall learning. Without these core literacy skills, learners can struggle to keep up with the school curriculum, leading to frustration and disengagement. Over time, this disengagement contributes to a much larger issue – the risk of dropping out. 4

LEARNING BRIEF 2

No learning without well-being: Why mental health matters in post-school education and training

Mental health is shaped from before birth onward by a constellation of socio-economic factors, including poverty and inequality. In South Africa, where nearly 70% of children live below the upper-bound poverty line of R55 a day, poverty results not only in unmet needs but in sustained deprivation affecting mental health. International research shows that children from families with higher incomes often do better in areas like language development, self-control and socio-emotional skills, which can help manage stress and serve as a buffer against anxiety and depression.

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LEARNING BRIEF 3

Breakthrough thinking for early learning in South Africa: Government is starting to adopt the home-based learning model

The early years of a child’s life are the building blocks of their future success. Yet in South Africa, over 1.15 million children aged three to five are not in any early learning programme (ELP) and fewer than half of four-to five-year-olds attending an ELP are developmentally on track, meaning that they do not meet the expected learning standards for their age. The quality of an ELP is a significant determining factor in whether children reach developmental milestones. SmartStart – an early learning social franchise with a national footprint – aims to reach one million children aged three to five every year by 2030. 24

CATCHING UP: LESSONS IN IMPLEMENTING ACCELERATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS

In South Africa, eight out of every 10 Grade 4 learners in South Africa do not meet the low international benchmark for reading set by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which serves as an indicator of learners' ability to make sense of texts. The ability to recognise words and make sense of them is essential for reading and overall learning. Without these core literacy skills, learners can struggle to keep up with the school curriculum, leading to frustration and disengagement. Over time, this disengagement contributes to a much larger issue – the risk of dropping out.

This learning brief is an overview of the Accelerated Learning Project’s five-year journey of development, which included various phases of implementation and iteration. By continuously refining mentorship and evaluation processes, this project aims to empower learners and support community-based organisations to deliver highquality educational outcomes.

Dropout is a pervasive problem in South Africa, where learners who fall behind in early grades often struggle to catch up. This is why the Accelerated Learning Project began as a pivotal part of the Zero Dropout Campaign, funded by DGMT. The Accelerated Learning Project has developed an after-school programme that employs the internationally recognised Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology, focusing on meeting each child's unique learning needs rather than on their age or grade. The aim is to keep learners engaged in their education, ultimately reducing the risk of dropout.

The project has evolved through various phases since its inception in 2019. Initially focused on English literacy and working with community-based organisations in just two provinces, the programme faced challenges that required adaptations in mentorship, training and implementation strategies. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic further shifted the focus to online platforms, highlighting the need for robust digital infrastructure. More recently, the project has expanded to include multilingual resources and numeracy components, integrating technological solutions for improved monitoring and evaluation.

Eight things to know about the Accelerated Learning Project before we get started:

The Accelerated Learning Project, now operating as an independent initiative, originally began as a pivotal component of the Zero Dropout Campaign. Both are funded by DGMT.

The project began in 2019 as a single programme focused on foundational literacy, known as "Reading for Meaning", but it has since expanded its offering to cover gaps in foundational numeracy, too.

The Accelerated Learning Project is not intended to cover the full school curriculum but focuses on foundational skills in literacy and numeracy that are required for learners to reach the appropriate grade level.

It uses the TaRL methodology, which allows for contextually appropriate responses that align with children’s needs and their level of cognitive maturity. The best-known example of this is the Indian education NGO Pratham’s TaRL, the principles of which inform the Accelerated Learning Project’s approach.

Other teaching methodologies beyond TaRL are also under consideration, with a view to incorporating them into a robust accelerated learning approach for South African children.

The Accelerated Learning Project is implemented by community-based organisations in schools. These organisations play a critical role in adapting, delivering, and sustaining the intervention at a grassroots level, with support and training provided by the Accelerated Learning Project team.

Facilitators drawn from communities are trained to run assessments and deliver effective maths and literacy sessions for selected learners from grades 4, 5 and 6.

Mentors are young people with a formal post-matric education, responsible for supporting, monitoring and evaluating the performance of facilitators in schools. They also run regular training sessions with facilitators and ensure quality implementation.

THE TEACHING AT THE RIGHT LEVEL METHODOLOGY

The methodology at the heart of the Accelerated Learning Project is a learner-centred, activity-based approach that promotes peer learning. TaRL groups students according to their current learning abilities, rather than their age or grade, enabling targeted instruction to meet their specific needs. TaRL may be adopted at a whole-school level, or as an additional programme in the form of after-school, pull-out or holiday programmes.

Using TaRL, the Accelerated Learning Project has broadened its scope to include literacy and numeracy through its “Reading For Meaning” and “Maths Matters” offerings. This transition has not only broadened the scope of the intervention but also deepened its collaboration with Teaching at the Right Level Africa (TaRL Africa) and the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Together, these partnerships have been instrumental in adapting the TaRL methodology to suit the South African educational context, ensuring it responds to the unique challenges faced by learners in the country.

Addressing both literacy and numeracy is crucial for academic achievement, as foundational maths skills are just as important as reading skills in shaping a learner's ability to solve problems and think critically. Numeracy helps foster logical reasoning and decision-making, which are vital not only for success in mathematics but also for broader academia and life.

HOW TaRL WORKS

TaRL works across four domains, with success achieved through the combined efforts of implementing partners, facilitators, schools and parents:

Assessment, data recording and grouping

Activities and teaching learning materials

Lesson procedure and classroom management

Monitoring and evaluation.

DOMAIN ONE: ASSESSMENT, DATA RECORDING AND GROUPING

DOMAIN TWO: ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS

Once learners are grouped, facilitators engage them in levelappropriate activities that focus on developing specific skills, using hands-on and participatory methods to keep learners engaged. This phase is key to making learning interactive and meaningful, helping students to practice reading, writing and problem-solving at their level of understanding.

DOMAIN THREE: LESSON PROCEDURE AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Facilitators follow a structured lesson plan with clear

THE FIVE-YEAR EVOLUTION OF THE ACCELERATED LEARNING PROJECT

The Accelerated Learning Project is implemented in schools through NGOs and community-based organisations, with relevant training and resources provided by the project team.

The project team creates the learning and training resources, quality assurance frameworks, and monitoring and evaluation material, and drives the overall strategy.

The role of a community-based organisation is critical to adapting, delivering and sustaining the intervention at a grassroots level.

When the project began, implementing partners were funded by grants to carry out programmes in different schools, but this operating model was later discontinued in favour of a more sustainable approach. The project currently has a presence in three provinces, namely KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape and the Free State, and operates in 22 schools.

Over the course of five years, the project underwent different phases of refinement, growth and adaptation, eventually addressing both literacy and numeracy skills. Each period contributed to refining the project’s offerings, expanding its reach and improving its impact through key learnings and adaptations.

2019 14 212 Initial phase. Facilitator training. Focused on English literacy; involved community-based organisations in KwaZulu-Natal and East London.

2020 17 105 Covid-19 response and online transition.

Facilitator and mentor training. Transitioned to online platforms due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions and introduced digital tools for facilitators.

2021 9 410 Curriculum expansion. Facilitator and mentor training. Introduced mother-tongue languages (isiZulu, Setswana, Afrikaans) and integrated numeracy.

2022 3 55 Multilingual and numeracy integration.

20232024 12 1200 Strengthening partnerships and quality assurance.

Facilitator and mentor training. Expanded sessions to include 60 maths and 60 literacy lessons in isiZulu.

Facilitator and mentor training. Strengthened partnerships with TaRL Africa and DBE; developed Quality Assurance Framework.

Ensuring quality and scale across diverse contexts.

Accessibility issues and financial constraints on community-based organisations.

Importance of tailoring mentorship and facilitator training.

Report verification and financial transparency issues.

Digital infrastructure and engagement in virtual settings are critical.

Benefits of mothertongue instruction in improving literacy outcomes.

Inconsistent implementation across organisations. Comprehensive multilingual and numeracy training is essential.

Real-time adjustments needed during implementation as each province had unique challenges.

The importance of localised community interventions for sustainability.

FIRST PHASE: ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION IN LITERACY

The "Reading for Meaning" programme began in 2019 with a focus on English Literacy, using a curriculum that was developed by Pam Hicks in collaboration with DGMT, members of the Zero Dropout Campaign and literacy advisors and experts in Cape Town. The goal was to establish a scalable franchise model by partnering with community-based organisations (implementing partners). This model provided training and resources to implementing partners, ensuring consistent quality and adherence to the curriculum while allowing autonomy in delivery.

The ‘Train-the-Trainer’ model was used for training facilitators to run literacy sessions and mentors to oversee the facilitators. The sessions were conducted in partnership with local Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, integrating Early Childhood Development (ECD) studies.

The following challenges were encountered during this phase:

There was a lack of practice sessions for facilitators.

TaRL Africa requires all new implementers to do at least 10 practice sessions for each subject area;

Non-native English-speaking facilitators struggled as there was a language barrier; and

There were challenges in ensuring quality control across diverse community-based organisations.

From this, it was learnt that it was important to tailor the mentorship and facilitator training. Regular check-ins and quality assurance were also needed.

KEY LEARNING: Organisations need multiple sources of funding to ensure the long-term sustainability of the model. The project team realised that because they were handing out grants to small organisations, their funding was also used to manage these organisations’ operations instead of the accelerated learning work that they were allocated for.

SECOND PHASE: THE PANDEMIC PERIOD

As a result of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and strict lockdown measures that resulted in prolonged school closures, there was a transition to online training and implementation of the programme on digital platforms such as Zoom. The project’s website was also revamped to include a login for training resources. This shift aimed to continue support for facilitators and learners despite physical distancing measures. During this period, facilitators were expected to host digital sessions with learners – at least 10 per facilitator – using mobile phones.

This meant that only learners who were able to access an adult caregiver’s mobile phone benefitted. Learners who stayed engaged made good progress and said they enjoyed their lessons. Caregivers appreciated the support their children received, especially the opportunity to engage with stories and learn new vocabulary.

However, the transition highlighted several challenges, including issues around accessibility and how to maintain engagement in a virtual environment.

Some groups only completed the initial assessments before learners disengaged. This may have been due to a range of factors, such as a lack of interest or understanding, lost phones, or parents being unavailable during session times because of work commitments.

KEY LEARNING: Robust digital infrastructure and tools are crucial for maintaining engagement in a virtual setting, and alternative strategies must be developed to retain facilitators and learners.

CURRENT PHASE: POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD

EXPANDING THE CURRICULUM AND ADDRESSING LANGUAGE NEEDS

In this period, the curriculum was expanded to include mother-tongue instruction in isiZulu, Setswana and Afrikaans alongside English. The resources were adapted into these languages and not translated. Adaptation, rather than mere translation, is about making the content more natural and appropriate for the culture and language. Instead of just converting words, adaptation considers local idioms, cultural references, and style. Numeracy activities were also integrated to address educational gaps.

Grants were stopped and the focus shifted to partnerships with organisations that had secured their own funding. Mentor training was enhanced to improve quality support and coaching.

The challenges that were faced during this phase:

Report verification and accuracy issues. Since results were recorded manually, there were challenges in ensuring that the information was correct and reliable.

Inconsistent implementation: It was hard to ensure that the programme was conducted the same way across different organisations, especially since each had its own structure and way of working.

KEY LEARNING: Mother-tongue instruction significantly improves literacy outcomes, but standardising the curriculum across multiple languages remains a challenge. Comprehensive training models need to cover both multilingual and numeracy components.

ADJUSTMENTS TO IMPROVE IMPLEMENTATION

The Accelerated Learning Project has made several adjustments to strengthen and scale its implementation based on learnings from the previous phases, including the development of an Operational Manual for implementing partners, which included a detailed Quality Assurance Framework to ensure programme fidelity.

2.1 PARTNERSHIPS

Along the way, the project team has also worked on strengthening partnerships with TaRL Africa and specific provincial education departments, as well as establishing networks with community trusts.

2.2 CAPACITY

Capacity and resources have been devoted to expanding multilingual language resources to include Afrikaans, Setswana and isiZulu. The implementation of technological solutions for better monitoring and evaluation is also underway. The project now uses the Teampact app to collect data that is synced into Salesforce for improved tracking and visualisation.

2.3 IMPLEMENTATION AND ENGAGEMENT

While originally an after-school initiative, some regions have shifted to in-school project delivery due to safety and transportation challenges. Additionally, the project is training teachers in schools where facilitators are already working, equipping them with TaRL principles and activities to incorporate into their own classrooms. This dual approach helps strengthen the integration into daily teaching practices, promoting long-term sustainability.

In addition, the project team is collaborating with caregivers to address challenges such as poor attendance and lack of buy-in from schools or learners. These parental engagements have been valuable, as parents in rural or semi-urban areas have shared that they feel less disempowered in their children’s education. Many expressed that they had struggled to understand the homework their children were given yet were expected to help them with it. Through engagement workshops, the project team has been able to create a deeper connection with caregivers, offering guidance and support to help them feel more confident in their role. These interactions are vital, as they strengthen the link between home and school, ensuring that learners receive the encouragement and assistance they need both inside and outside the classroom.

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ENSURING QUALITY AT A LOCAL LEVEL

A Quality Assurance Framework was developed to ensure the effective implementation of TaRL programmes through community-based organisations that employ youth or childcare workers. By leveraging the strengths of localised community interventions, we can improve the quality of education provided to underserved communities, leading to improved educational outcomes and empowering the next generation.

TOOLS FOR QUALITY

ASSURANCE:

CATEGORY

Standardised assessment tools

Training modules

DESCRIPTION

TaRL facilitators assess each child using a one-on-one oral assessment to determine their highest learning level. This interaction helps instructors connect with the child’s learning needs. The assessment should be conducted in a comfortable setting, avoiding terms like “test” or “assessment” to reduce anxiety. Implementing partners should use standardised assessment tools aligned with the TaRL methodology to measure literacy and numeracy levels. Standardised tools assess foundational reading skills (letter recognition, word recognition and comprehension) and mathematics skills (number recognition and basic operations.

Training modules are developed for mentors and facilitators to ensure they understand the TaRL methodology, classroom management, and strategies to shift learning outcomes. Context-specific mother-tongue workbooks and resources covering numeracy and literacy interventions have been created. Parental and teacher engagement modules are also being developed for integration into training.

Monitoring and evaluation

Quality control guidelines

Feedback mechanisms

Community engagement tools

The project team uses an offline data collection app called Teampact that integrates with Salesforce (the team's central database) in real-time. The app tracks intervention progress, verifies attendance, and serves as a repository for observation tools, quality assurance forms and surveys. If digital tools fail, paper tracking tools can be used, but data must be captured digitally later.

Clear guidelines and criteria must be established for quality assurance, including classroom observations, assessment reviews and feedback mechanisms.

Feedback loops should be implemented for continuous improvement. This can be done through site visit debriefings or monthly communities of practice. Feedback should be gathered from youth facilitators, mentors, teachers, and community members to inform programme adjustments.

Tools should be developed to engage the community in the educational process, ensuring transparency and building trust. Examples include parental WhatsApp groups, pre- and post-parental training assessments, and phone calls.

Programme evaluation tools

Tools should be used to evaluate the overall effectiveness of TaRL interventions. These may include pre- and post-intervention assessments, qualitative assessments and longitudinal studies.

FOCUSING ON LOCALISED IMPLEMENTATION

Localised interventions are not just a means of delivering the TaRL methodology; they are integral to its success. By capitalising on the deep knowledge, trust and cultural alignment inherent in these organisations, the team hopes to improve the quality and sustainability of educational interventions. This approach is not only about teaching children to read and write, but also about empowering communities to take charge of their educational destiny and, in turn, their future prosperity.

CULTURAL RELEVANCE AND SENSITIVITY

Community-based organisations understand the intricacies of the people they serve, including cultural norms, traditions and languages. This deep cultural awareness is critical in adapting the TaRL methodology to make it not only relevant but also sensitive to the unique needs and preferences of communities. This cultural resonance facilitates the active participation of children and their families in the programme, as they feel a sense of ownership of and identity with the intervention.

TRUST AND FAMILIARITY

The presence of community-based organisations, staffed by youth or childcare workers, engenders trust. Parents and guardians are more likely to entrust their children to individuals they know and who understand their specific challenges and aspirations. This trust is an essential part of a successful educational initiative. It encourages families to send their children to these programmes and actively engage in their educational journey.

TAILORED APPROACHES

Community-based organisations can adapt the TaRL methodology to address the specific educational needs and contextual challenges of their community. They can incorporate elements that are particularly relevant to the local environment, making the interventions more effective and relatable. This adaptability is a strength that centralised, topdown programmes often lack.

SUSTAINABILITY

Community-based organisations are committed to the longterm development of their communities. By empowering these organisations and youth facilitators within the community, TaRL interventions are more likely to have a lasting impact. Local leadership ensures that the programme continues to evolve, even after external support diminishes. This creates a sustainable approach to education that benefits generations to come.

ADAPTATION

One of the critical advantages of collaborating with community-based organisations is the real-time feedback mechanism that can be established. Local organisations are better positioned to gather feedback from the community, parents, youth facilitators and childcare workers. This feedback allows for quick adaptations and continuous improvement of interventions. By listening to the voices of those directly involved, the programme can make necessary adjustments promptly, ensuring its ongoing effectiveness.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Community-based organisations can organise community meetings, involve parents and caregivers in their children's education, and create a sense of shared responsibility for educational outcomes. This community involvement not only enhances the quality of implementation but also fosters a sense of shared ownership and accountability for the programme's success.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Older learners, who are often trapped in cycles of grade repetition, face significant barriers to academic success. Without the necessary reading and numeracy skills, they find it difficult to keep pace with their peers, making them even more vulnerable to dropping out. For these learners, the challenge is not only to acquire foundational literacy but also to catch up on the basic numeracy skills they missed in earlier grades.

While the "Reading for Meaning" and "Maths Matters" offerings have made significant strides in improving foundational skills for learners, there remains a critical need for targeted interventions for older learners. These learners require tailored support to master the skills they missed in earlier grades. The needs of older learners, particularly those in grades 4 to 7, are unique in comparison to younger learners, as they are not new to schooling. They have likely been exposed to foundational literacy skills in their classrooms, and many have developed the ability to speak and listen in the language of instruction.

However, despite their exposure, many of these learners struggle with reading fluency and comprehension (the ability to read a text and make meaning from it). According to research, learners in this age group often face what is referred to as a "reading gap". They may have the basic ability to decode words and understand spoken language, but they require a more focused and targeted approach to develop their reading and writing skills fully, particularly when it comes to comprehension.

These learners do not need to start from scratch; instead, they need additional time and instructional strategies that are tailored to their specific gaps in literacy. Approaches such as TaRL, which emphasise targeted learning and individualised support, have proven to be effective in helping older learners catch up. Research supports the idea that with the right interventions, these learners can improve their reading comprehension and writing skills, allowing them to engage more meaningfully with texts and succeed in their educational journey. By focusing on both fluency and meaning-making, we can help these learners bridge the gap between basic literacy and full comprehension, enabling them to fully participate in the learning process and keep up with their peers. Without such interventions, they risk being left behind, perpetuating cycles of underachievement and ultimately increasing the likelihood of dropping out.

This brief was written by Claudia Stanfield, Lead of the Accelerated Learning Project, and edited by Rahima Essop.

This learning brief draws on the experience of DGMT’s implementing partners that offer psychosocial and mental health support services to students attending Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in a range of settings, from rural to peri-urban and urban environments. The goal of these programmes is to support students’ workplace-based learning, reduce dropout rates and ultimately improve labour market absorption rates.

Mental health is shaped from before birth onwards by a constellation of socio-economic factors, including poverty and inequality. In South Africa, where nearly 70% of children live below the upper-bound poverty line of R55 a day, poverty results not merely in unmet needs but in sustained deprivation affecting mental health. International research shows that children from families with higher incomes often do better in areas like language development, self-control and socio-emotional skills1, which can help manage stress and serve as a buffer against anxiety and depression.

There is a significant need for accessible mental health services in South Africa, but the public health system has been unable to keep up with demand in under-resourced areas. Consequently, 75 out of every 100 people who need help are not getting it.2 This problem is compounded by limited funding, with only 8% of the country’s mental health budget allocated to primary healthcare,3 where early detection and intervention can prevent more severe conditions from developing. This means that young people are entering South African schools and higher education institutions without the mental health support they need to navigate financial stress, instability in the home, childhood trauma or the burden of growing up poor. Circumstances in a child’s personal life, at school or in their community can affect whether they finish their final year of high school; these are known as push-out and pull-out factors in school dropout. The same logic applies to those attending universities, technical colleges or community colleges. Technical and community colleges attract students from low-income communities whose successful entry into the job market is dependent on strong workplace-based learning programmes and completing their diploma or degree.

HOW POVERTY AFFECTS

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health in South Africa is shaped by a range of complex and interconnected socio-economic factors. Evidence from large-scale evaluations of the Child Support Grant (CSG) shows that poverty alleviation efforts such as unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) can have a positive impact on mental

well-being. One study found that receiving the CSG led to a 0.822-point drop in adult depression scores on a 0–30 scale (where higher scores indicate poorer mental health) – a 4.1 % improvement relative to the average score.4 This underscores the mental health benefits of income support interventions. At the same time, neighbourhood-level studies show that employment deprivation and poor living conditions significantly predict higher levels of depressive symptoms.5 Inadequate housing and infrastructure, both common in informal settlements, can exacerbate psychological distress. Proximal stressors like food inadequacy and frequent hunger are also strongly linked to poorer mental well-being,6 while high exposure to community violence further impacts mental health through both direct trauma and the erosion of social cohesion. These stressors can further perpetuate a cycle of vulnerability. Poor mental health, in turn, increases the likelihood of harmful coping behaviours such as alcohol abuse, smoking and risky sexual behaviour – all of which raise the risk of injury, cardiovascular disease and HIV infection.7 This interplay highlights the importance of integrated approaches that tackle the root causes of distress, while also preventing the knock-on health effects of poor mental well-being.

1 Troller-Renfree, S.V. et al. 2022 ‘The impact of a poverty reduction intervention on infant brain activity’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(5), e2115649119. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2115649119

2 Burns, J.K. 2014 ‘The burden of untreated mental disorders in KwaZulu-Natal Province – mapping the treatment gap’, South African Journal of Psychiatry, 20(1), pp. 6–10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7196/SAJP.499

3 Freeman, M. 2022 ‘Investing for population mental health in low and middle income countries—where and why?’, International Journal of Mental Health Systems pp. 1–9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-022-00547-6

THE SCOPE OF OUR MENTAL

HEALTH PROBLEM

Mental health challenges in South Africa have reached concerning levels, with recent data indicating that approximately one in three citizens will experience a mental health issue during their lifetime.8 Depression is the most prevalent disorder, affecting over 27% of the population.9 Significantly, suicide and intentional self-harm are among the leading unnatural causes of death among young people aged 15-24.10 Despite this, access to mental health care remains severely limited for the vast majority of the population. Estimates suggest that only about 10% to 25% of those affected receive the treatment they need, meaning that roughly 75 out of every 100 people with mental health conditions go untreated. The problem is further exacerbated by a shortage of mental healthcare professionals. As of April 2019, South Africa had just 850 actively practising psychiatrists – equating to roughly 1.5 per 100 000 people based on a national population of 55.6 million. Around 80% of these professionals were based in the private sector, limiting access for most people.11

THE IMPACT ON YOUNG PEOPLE

While mental health challenges can affect individuals across all socio-economic backgrounds, South African youths aged 15-24 are particularly vulnerable due to intersecting socioeconomic factors. High youth unemployment contributes significantly to feelings of hopelessness and low self-worth, as well as an increased risk of anxiety and depression, as young people are left wondering about their future prospects. Educational pressures further compound these issues, with approximately 40% of learners in South Africa dropping out before completing Grade 12, leading to limited opportunities and heightened stress.12

Research shows that South African youth experience disproportionately high levels of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In one study, 90% of university students reported having encountered at least one traumatic event, many with direct links to depression and anxiety.13 Rural and township-based studies echo similar patterns: 67% of rural children had been exposed to trauma, and a staggering 99.7% of adolescents in Soweto had experienced at least one potentially traumatic event, with notable gender differences in trauma type.14 Substance abuse also poses a significant challenge, with around 31.8% of adolescents in grades 8-11 reporting alcohol use, often as a coping mechanism.15 Mental health services receive only about 5% of the national health budget, severely limiting young people’s access to affordable, quality care, particularly in rural areas.16 Together, these factors are fuelling a growing mental health burden among South Africa’s youth.

8 Oberholzer, S. 2023 ‘Is South Africa a depressed nation? Statistics say we are’, Sunday Times, 13 October. Available at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/ lifestyle/2023-10-13-is-south-africa-a-depressed-nation-statistics-say-we-are/

9 EAPA-SA. 2024. ‘The current state of mental health in South Africa: 2024 update’, 26 August. Available at: https://www.eapasa.co.za/the-current-state-of-mentalhealth-in-south-africa-2024-update/

10 Sinisi, V. 2024. ‘Opinion: SA has the third highest suicide rate in Africa – there are steps we can take to tackle it’, News24. Available at: https://www.news24.com/life/wellness/ opinion-sa-has-the-third-highest-suicide-rate-in-africa-there-are-steps-we-cantake-to-tackle-it-20240928

11 Janse Van Rensburg, B. et al. 2022. ‘Profile of the current psychiatrist workforce South Africa: Establishing a baseline for human resource planning and strategy’, Health Policy and Planning, 37(4), pp. 492–504. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czab144

12 Zero Dropout Campaign 2024. ‘School-Dropout-Advocacy-to-Action’, 21 January.

SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE: A FOCUS ON THE POSTSCHOOL EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTOR

Mental health issues among young people in South Africa, particularly those attending TVET colleges, are increasingly recognised as significant challenges that can affect academic performance, well-being and retention rates. TVET students often face unique stressors, including socio-economic instability, fears around unemployment, family responsibilities, institutional neglect and academic pressure. All of these have already been highlighted as contributors to mental health issues like anxiety, depression and stress. The transition into the workforce, particularly amid uncertain job prospects, adds another layer to these challenges.

Available research shows that both university and TVET students face significant mental health challenges, though comparative data between the two groups remains limited. Evidence suggests that TVET students may experience equal or even higher levels of depressive symptoms, driven by stressors specific to their contexts. In one study, 43% of students across both groups reported depressive symptoms, 9% showed signs of PTSD, and 21% admitted to having suicidal thoughts, despite mitigation efforts like NSFAS bursaries.17

Generally, stigma around mental health remains a major barrier and continues to deter students from seeking help for fear of being judged or misunderstood.18 The problem is compounded by the lack of adequate campus-based mental health infrastructure and personnel. Public services, meanwhile, struggle with staff shortages, long waiting times and limited funding. Poor mental health undermines academic success, with depressive symptoms and harmful alcohol use directly linked to exam failure and student dropout.19

Moreover, socio-economic vulnerabilities such as food insecurity and accommodation woes can worsen mental

17 Machisa, M.T. et al. 2022. Suicidal thoughts, depression, post-traumatic stress, and harmful alcohol use associated with intimate partner violence and rape exposures among female students in South Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(13), 7913.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137913

18 Egbe, C.O. et al. 2014. Psychiatric stigma and discrimination in South Africa: Perspectives from key stakeholders. BMC Psychiatry 14(1), pp. 1–14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-14-191

19 Machisa et al. 2022. Suicidal thoughts, depression, post-traumatic stress, and harmful alcohol use associated with intimate partner violence and rape exposures among female students in South Africa.

distress and further elevate the risk of dropout, with foodinsecure students significantly more likely to discontinue their studies.20 Due to delayed payments of state financial assistance, students can face hunger and eviction notices; some even engage in inappropriate romantic relationships just to survive, often exposing themselves to violence. Without targeted psychosocial services and integrated campus interventions, affected students face a heightened likelihood of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training), jeopardising their educational and employment pathways.

Work-based learning (WBL) placements – central to TVET curricula – often heighten student stress, with long waiting periods for placement adding to their anxiety. The uncertainty surrounding when, or even if, they will be placed can heighten feelings of instability and reduce motivation, further impacting both mental health and academic outcomes. The lack of timely WBL placements leaves many students in a state of limbo, unable to progress in their studies or secure essential real-world experience.

While mental health and psychosocial support interventions in TVET institutions are growing, their implementation remains inconsistent. Government and NGO efforts, such as those led by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), have made strides in providing training and mental health resources to educational institutions. However, TVET colleges still lack adequate coverage compared to universities. Recent partnerships have sought to embed mental health awareness into the TVET curriculum, with a focus on building resilience, emotional intelligence and stress management. However, students also need access to counselling services, peer support networks and digital tools to manage mental health challenges effectively. Many TVET students face significant stress about their future employment, underscoring the need to integrate mental health services with employability support. Yet a clear policy gap remains. Unlike universities, TVET institutions (governed by the Department of Higher Education and Training) lack a standardised national framework for mental health and psychosocial support. The shortage of trained mental health professionals on TVET campuses further widens the gap in support.

20 Wagner, F. et al. 2024. Mental distress, food insecurity and university student dropout during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: Evidence from South Africa. Frontiers in Psychiatry 15, 1336538. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1336538

CIVIL SOCIETY TAKING A STAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Addressing mental health goes beyond treating immediate distress; it is also essential for ensuring that young people have the support, resilience and well-being to navigate critical transitions in life, whether in education, the workplace or social situations. Civil society and non-profit organisations are responding to the need with innovative approaches and peer-to-peer counselling models. These interventions offer promising ways to expand access to mental health support, providing students with informal, peer-led resources that help create a more supportive environment within TVET settings. Integrating these emerging innovative approaches aligns with DGMT’s mission to foster a supportive ecosystem that equips young people to overcome obstacles and realise their potential. DGMT has supported several organisations that deliver psychosocial support interventions within TVET institutions. Through these partnerships, valuable lessons have emerged – aimed at strengthening approaches across the sector.

AMATHUBA COLLECTIVE FOUNDATION

(WESTERN CAPE)

Amathuba is redefining how TVET students transition into work by pairing industry placements with psychosocial support and practical skills training.

Amathuba offers telephonic psychosocial support to TVET students during work-based learning (WBL) placements. Initial support is offered by trained peer mentors, with case-bycase referrals to professional psychologists when necessary. Students receive weekly check-in calls, while the team holds monthly check-in calls with WBL supervisors. The support service is fully integrated into the students’ WBL journey and with their supervisors, starting from pre-placement onboarding, during placement support and at completion. The programme currently supports 200 students in the Western Cape.

regulation before placement, followed by regular mentoring and life coaching during internships. Interns benefit from structured work readiness modules and ongoing check-ins, while host employers receive support through onboarding workshops, supervisor coaching and intentional feedback loops. Early results showed a 90% success rate in transitions into employment for those in a pilot cohort, with hosts consistently reporting satisfaction with intern contribution and growth.

Amathuba has also built an extensive employer network (over 600 businesses in Cape Town alone).

MOT SOUTH AFRICA (EASTERN CAPE, GAUTENG AND

KWAZULU-NATAL)

MOT South Africa is delivering measurable impact in TVET colleges by equipping young people with essential life skills that strengthen resilience, self-awareness, and socialemotional development. Five group sessions are delivered per college within the academic calendar, complementing broader student support services. The initiative reaches approximately 1 500 students across three provinces. MOT delivers inperson group wellness sessions facilitated by trained coaches, targeting students at three TVET colleges:

Port Elizabeth TVET College

Umfolozi TVET College

STADIO TVET College

Students who participate in the MOT programme show improved confidence, emotional regulation, decision-making skills and peer relationships. A 2022 study by the University of the Western Cape found an 81% pass rate among MOT students, significantly higher than the 63% pass rate among their non-MOT peers, and a 12% higher programme completion rate (31% vs 19%). This demonstrates a link between the programme and outcomes.

In 2023 alone, 9 931 youth participated in the programme facilitated by 372 trained MOT Coaches, with content centred on “Courage to Live, Courage to Care, and Courage to Say No”. Feedback from students and coaches indicates transformational change, including behavioural shifts, stronger classroom engagement and increased participation in peer-led initiatives. The programme’s integration into college life also helped create safer, more inclusive environments, reducing incidents of bullying and absenteeism.

WETHINKCODE_ (GAUTENG AND WESTERN CAPE)

WeThinkCode_ (WTC) is transforming access to digital careers for underserved youth in South Africa by delivering market-aligned, tuition-free software engineering training. The organisation runs a 10-week virtual psychosocial support programme for students enrolled in a two-year coding and software development course. Offered as a mandatory wraparound support service, the programme currently reaches 421 students across Gauteng and the Western Cape. Led by four qualified counsellors, the programme combines group sessions (10–20 students) and one-on-one sessions, using a structured handbook. Students are referred for additional support when needed. The programme has been implemented at three TVET colleges:

Ekurhuleni West TVET College

Central Johannesburg TVET College

South Cape College

Since 2016, over 1 000 young people (who were not in education, employment or training before this programme) have benefitted, with 91% of graduates finding permanent employment where they could take home upwards of R240 000 per annum, often tripling their household incomes. The programme’s success lies in its inclusive recruitment model (60% of students are from extremely low-income households), its NQF Level 6 qualification, and its close alignment with industry demands through agile, peer-based learning.

The current partnership with DGMT is extending this impact to rural communities via the South Cape TVET College pilot, which aims to train 30 youth (at least half of them women) and offer them pathways into internships and employment by 2026. Meanwhile, pilots in urban TVETs (Ekurhuleni West and Central Johannesburg) show strong retention rates (over 90%) and high student engagement, demonstrating the model’s scalability. WTC’s holistic model includes structured psychosocial support. A 10-week wellness curriculum, one-onone counselling, and group sessions address stress, anxiety, and social isolation – all challenges that disproportionately affect black female students. This support is vital in helping students navigate academic pressure and personal hardships, especially for those entering the field of technology as a “last hope” for upward mobility. By combining technical expertise with wraparound psychosocial support, WTC is not only helping to close South Africa’s digital skills gap but is also building resilience and economic mobility for a new generation of tech talent.

MASIBUMBANE DEVELOPMENT

ORGANISATION

(EASTERN CAPE)

Masibumbane Development Organisation (MDO) implements a blended psychosocial support programme for first-year students at two TVET colleges in the Eastern Cape, with the aim of curbing dropout rates at Buffalo City TVET College and Lovedale TVET College. The programme is fully embedded in the colleges' student support services and reaches approximately 3 900 students on campus.

The programme screens participants and offers them oneon-one counselling, positive talk seminars delivered by public speakers, peer-led wellness clubs, WhatsApp mentoring and workshops on various themes. Because of its proximity to

and engagements with students, the organisation has also played a significant role in advocating for key issues, including temporary emergency relief in the form of vouchers.

The organisation’s psychosocial support intervention has significantly outperformed historical norms at both colleges. In 2024, MDO’s first-year cohort achieved a 98% retention rate, with only 2% attrition – mostly due to financial hardship disproportionately affecting female students. A total of 995 students were reached through orientation activities, while 208 received one-on-one counselling, and emergency financial support was provided to the most vulnerable. MDO’s focus on psychosocial well-being extended to virtual mentoring via WhatsApp that reached 378 students, as well as wide-reaching gender-based violence information campaigns. In the health domain, the intervention enabled 1 894 students to access HIV/ AIDS and sexual and reproductive health information, doubled its condom distribution target, and facilitated 606 referrals to youth-friendly health services, addressing the critical finding that half the cohort had never been tested for HIV.

WHAT WE’VE LEARNT FROM OUR PARTNERS

Through the collective experiences of our implementing partners, several core insights have emerged around the effective delivery of psychosocial support in TVET environments. These insights highlight both successes and challenges, offering practical lessons and adjustments needed to optimise outcomes, with each project contributing its own set of learnings and best practices.

MENTALLY PREPARING FOR THE WORLD OF WORK

It’s clear that a model that integrates psychosocial support with technical training can drive student engagement and resilience. Advocating for policies that recognise mental wellness as integral to employability will help normalise personal development as part of TVET curricula.

Amathuba Collective combines psychosocial interventions with practical work-based learning placements to foster young people’s confidence, self-awareness and resilience. This structured support integrates life- and work-readiness training with personal development. Similarly, MDO’s Work Link workshops emphasise entrepreneurial skills, encouraging students to explore diverse job opportunities including self-employment. MDO’s psychosocial support services help motivate students, reduce dropout rates and support students in work-integrated learning environments. And WeThinkCode_ incorporates mental wellness support through a 10-week mandatory psychosocial programme that build essential skills like how to manage stress, set realistic goals and build emotional resilience, all of which helps to navigate the complexities of professional life.

THE VALUE OF SYNERGIES

Collaboration with student support services in TVET institutions can strengthen the delivery of interventions, helping to embed mental health resources that are accessible across campuses. MOT South Africa’s engagement with college management, combined with integration into existing student support services, enables seamless programme delivery and tailored approaches that respond to each institution’s specific needs. MDO’s Work Link intervention adds another layer by building industry partnerships that provide students with realworld work placement opportunities.

BEING RESPONSIVE TO STUDENTS’ NEEDS

Consistent, ethical data collection plays a vital role in strengthening psychosocial support programmes – a lesson reinforced across several interventions. In 2024, MDO tracked 488 first-year students at Buffalo City and Lovedale 1 2 3 4 5

Flexible, blended support models that combine in-person and virtual components should be explored to reduce logistical barriers, accommodate financial constraints and sustain student engagement.

Over and above the provision of psychosocial support services, MDO has found ways to mitigate the stress felt by students who can’t afford to buy food or are struggling to pay for other basic needs. Depending on the student’s situation, MDO provides grocery vouchers or advocates on the student’s behalf to lessen their financial burden. In addition, their Work Link entrepreneurship workshops serve as alternative pathways for students unable to secure traditional placements due to financial or logistical barriers, enabling them to pursue self-sustaining careers while studying.

Similarly, MOT South Africa emphasises aligning support activities with the academic calendar to minimise disruptions. Flexibility around exam periods improves engagement and ensures continued support through both in-person and virtual formats – extending reach and accessibility.

TACKLING STIGMA

Stigma around mental health can make students hesitant to attend group sessions. Addressing cultural perceptions and raising awareness are essential to improving engagement and normalising support-seeking behaviour. Educational campaigns and a culture of openness are key to reducing stigma and encouraging proactive engagement with mental health support. This is why MDO’s peer mentorship model fosters a supportive culture, helping to normalise psychosocial support and encouraging proactive engagement. MDO also integrates HIV risk assessment and health services, simultaneously tackling other health stigmas and enabling students to ensure they are both physically and mentally well before they enter the world of work. MOT South Africa found that extending support to coaches and staff members further cultivated a resilient and supportive culture within an institution itself.

USING DATA TO IMPROVE PROGRAMME OUTCOMES

Consistent data collection and evaluation, conducted ethically and with consent, is invaluable in assessing a programme’s impact and identifying areas for improvement.

TVET colleges, reporting a 98% retention rate. Through regular support calls, academic tracking and WhatsAppbased mentoring, the programme identified gendered vulnerabilities: most students who dropped out were female. This insight has informed targeted improvements to better support those most at risk.

Similarly, WeThinkCode_ uses a structured 10-week wellness programme supported by real-time participation data. This enables the organisation to adapt delivery formats, identify peak stress periods, and introduce tailored group sessions and early onboarding to improve engagement in the training programme.

At Amathuba Collective, data from weekly mentoring calls and employer feedback revealed that combining psychosocial support with logbook compliance, employer support, and foundation training improved work placement outcomes, with a 90% transition rate into employment for pilot cohorts.

These examples show that when data is collected intentionally and analysed thoughtfully, it not only strengthens programme delivery but also informs strategic improvements, bolsters student support and provides a credible basis for scale and sustainability.

EARLY AND TARGETED INTERVENTIONS ADDRESS MULTILAYERED STUDENT CHALLENGES

Embedding early intervention programmes within student onboarding is critical for proactively identifying and addressing psychosocial and academic challenges. This approach not only improves retention but also strengthens student resilience across academic and career pathways. MDO operationalises this principle through a structured screening process at the start of the academic year, where students complete a baseline assessment that captures demographic data and risk indicators including medical conditions and family-related stressors. These insights enable the early delivery of tailored psychosocial support like one-on-one counselling, peer mentoring, and WhatsApp-based engagement, allowing at-risk students to access support before challenges escalate.

Similarly, Amathuba Collective’s early trauma-focused interventions have proven effective in reducing dropout rates and strengthening student commitment and perseverance.

The work being done by WeThinkCode_ further demonstrates the importance of early intervention through its integrated psychosocial support model, particularly for young people from low-income backgrounds (who are not in education, employment or training). Every student participates in a mandatory 10-week mental wellness programme during

onboarding, grounded in evidence-based practices and adapted to the context. Students receive layered support, including individual and group counselling to address stressors like imposter syndrome, financial strain and family pressure. This model has yielded impressive retention outcomes of 96% and 93% in two pilots on TVET campuses, highlighting how early, structured mental health and academic support can foster resilience, promote integrity and enable students to thrive in high-pressure learning environments.

IMPLEMENTATION

CHALLENGES

Implementing psychosocial support in TVET contexts presents multifaceted challenges:

Training and capacity limitations: Though the interventions themselves are highly impactful, the educators and coaches delivering them can lack the skills and training needed to provide the more specialised support needed by students to effectively deal with the deep and complex challenges they face. Amathuba Collective notes that without adequate skills, staff cannot fully address students’ social and emotional needs. Coaches at Stadio College, who implement MOT South Africa’s programme, note the personal impact they experienced of providing psychosocial support to students – highlighting the need for additional support to process what they absorb during sessions.

Resource constraints: Limited resources remain a significant challenge for TVET institutions, many of which operate on tight budgets that restrict the scope and reach of psychosocial support services. While programmes like MDO have helped mitigate financial stress for atrisk students, offering emergency grocery vouchers, for example, limited funding means this kind of support can’t reach everyone who needs it.

Mental health not prioritised: The provision of effective psychosocial support ranks low on the service delivery priority list of low-resourced TVET colleges. This makes it difficult to secure institutional buy-in for such programmes, whether they are delivered by civil society or the institutions themselves.

Financial barriers: Students experiencing financial distress are more likely to drop out – a risk that can be addressed through financial relief strategies. MDO’s experiences have highlighted students’ increased vulnerability to dropout and mental health challenges when state funding is delayed, leaving students stranded.

Awareness and accessibility gaps: Awareness of available psychosocial services is often low among students. By integrating its support offering into the orientation process and establishing referral mechanisms through partner colleges, MDO has helped increase visibility and uptake. Implementing partners have also used WhatsApp and telephone calls to make support more accessible and responsive to students' needs.

Cultural and social barriers: and students can make communication and support more difficult. Both MDO and MOT South Africa promote culturally sensitive approaches that build trust and ensure students feel seen and understood. Programmes like Amathuba, MOT South Africa and MDO address this by using trained peer mentors or coaches who engage directly with students and facilitate referrals to appropriate services.

Logistical challenges in service delivery: geographically dispersed nature of some campuses poses significant challenges for delivering psychosocial support. Poor transport infrastructure and road conditions in surrounding areas affect student attendance and punctuality, while also complicating site visits by MOT South Africa coaches and implementation teams. These challenges are especially acute during the rainy season and winter months, when limited lighting and poor road access make travel unsafe and unreliable.

WHAT’S NEXT?

This is the learning experience of:

BREAKTHROUGH THINKING FOR EARLY LEARNING IN SOUTH AFRICA: GOVERNMENT IS STARTING TO ADOPT THE HOME-BASED LEARNING MODEL

This learning brief shows how SmartStart has become a game changer in early learning taking place in home and community-based settings. In it, we examine the impact of the programme on preschoolers and those who’ve gone on to attend ‘big school’. The brief also demonstrates the impact that SmartStart programmes have not only on children but also on parents, practitioners and communities.

The early years of a child’s life are the building blocks of their future success. Yet in South Africa over 1.15 million children aged three to five are not in any early learning programme (ELP)1 and fewer than half of four-to five-year-olds attending an ELP are developmentally on track, meaning that they do not meet the expected learning standards for their age. The quality of an ELP a significant determining factor in whether children reach developmental milestones.2 SmartStart – an early learning social franchise with a national footprint – aims to reach one million children aged three to five every year by 2030.

SmartStart realised that it would not be able to reach this target by waiting for new infrastructure to be built in informal settlements and low-income communities, where the need for quality ELPs is greatest. Instead, it demonstrated that it is possible to provide quality early learning for children in existing structures in informal settlements and rural areas, such as residential and community spaces.

The organisation is expanding access to quality programmes wherever young children are cared for, across every type of community, and especially in hard-to-reach low-income settings, through a delivery model that offers income-earning opportunities to women in the care sector. This approach aligns with South Africa’s 2030 Early Childhood Development (ECD) Strategy, released by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) after it took over responsibility for ECD from the Department of Social Development.

QUALITY EARLY LEARNING MATTERS

In South Africa, we see significant gaps not only in access to early learning, but also in access to quality ELPs. The Thrive by Five Index found that fewer than half of four-to-five-year-olds attending an ELP were developmentally on track for their age.3 Yet children who attend at least two years of quality ELPs are

more likely to develop the cognitive, social, and emotional skills they need to successfully transition to formal schooling and navigate the demands of the Foundation Phase (Grades 1 to 3) curriculum.4

Children from low-income communities are less likely than their wealthier peers to have the right learning foundations in place when they start school. According to research, just three out of 10 children from "low-fee" ELPs met the expected learning criteria for their age, but eight out of 10 children in "high-fee" ELPs (costing more than R1 750 per month) were developmentally on track in terms of early learning.5 A threeyear-old child in the wealthiest quintile is 1.6 times more likely to attend an ELP than a child from the poorest quintile.6

THE ECD POLICY LANDSCAPE

South Africa’s National Integrated ECD Policy (NIECDP) commits to providing comprehensive quality age- and developmental stage-appropriate opportunities for learning by 2030, to all children from birth until they enter formal school.7 In South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, government committed to universal access to ECD by 2030, including two years of quality preschool.8

However, several factors continue to limit equitable access to early learning in South Africa, including:

Registration processes for ECD centres that are complex and costly, particularly when it comes to achieving compliance with municipal by-laws. Compliance requirements act as a barrier to accessing state subsidies for ELPs.9 Access to these funds could help ECD centres improve the quality and sustainability of their programmes and contribute to better child outcomes.

Levels of training and experience amongst ECD practitioners vary dramatically, as does the quality of

1 Hall, K. et al. 2024. South African Early Childhood Review 2024. Cape Town: Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town and Ilifa Labantwana, p. 63. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/frf6cyyz

2 Thrive by Five Index. 2024. Homepage. Available at: https://thrivebyfive.co.za/

3 Ibid.

4 Yoshikawa, H. et al. 2013. Investing in our future: The evidence base on preschool education. Society for Research in Child Development. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/5n83sxt5

5 Dawes, A. and Biersteker, L. 2022. Improving the quality of teaching and learning in South African early learning programmes, at scale. DataDrive2030 Policy Brief, p.1. Available at: https://datadrive2030.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ Datadrive2030_Policy-Brief_24_Nov_final2.pdf

6 Hall, K. et al. 2024. South African Early Childhood Review 2024. Cape Town: Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town and Ilifa Labantwana. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/frf6cyyz

7 Dawes, A. and Biersteker, L. 2022. Improving the quality of teaching and learning in South African early learning programmes, at scale. DataDrive2030 Policy Brief.

8 National Planning Commission. 2012. National Development Plan 2030: Our future –making it work.

9 Real Reform for ECD. 2024. Manifesto for Early Childhood Development: Real Reform for ECD in South Africa. Available at: https://www.ecdreform.org.za/uploads/ecd-manifesto-digital.pdf

the services provided to children. ECD practitioners are typically not adequately remunerated (many earning below the minimum wage) and often work long hours in less than ideal circumstances.10

Children who don’t get the nutrition they need to grow well may become stunted – too short for their age – which can impair brain development. Children need nutritious food for their bodies and minds to grow, especially in the first thousand days of life when their brains are developing the fastest. ELPs can serve as a useful platform to support children’s nutritional needs in the same way that primary schools do through the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). However, according to an ECD census conducted in 2021, over 40% of ELPs are not registered, meaning they were unable to access the ECD subsidy to help pay for food.11

Since the ECD census was conducted, the DBE and its social partners launched the Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive to reduce the number of known unregistered ELPs so that more children can benefit from the ECD subsidy.

POSITIVE SHIFTS IN GOVERNMENT POLICY

Like the Bana Pele mass registration drive, the release of South Africa's 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes signals a willingness from government to do things differently to overcome some of the barriers mentioned in the previous section. The strategy aims to create a new social compact among all ECD stakeholders, encouraging coordination of resources and collaboration aligned with a common strategy. It projects a need for 115 000 new early learning facilities to accommodate 2.9 million children aged three to five by 2030.12 In recognition of the stark reality that we cannot afford to wait for new infrastructure, government policy is beginning to shift towards a focus on using existing infrastructure for early learning, such as residential and shared spaces like community halls. This important shift in government thinking is illustrated by the following phrase:

“… as a pragmatic and affordable strategy for equitable access, there will be a greater need for ELPs to be run from community-based facilities that make use of existing infrastructure, including residential venues”.13

While government has positioned this as a short-term solution until purpose-built infrastructure becomes available, this framing risks underestimating the long-term value and potential of home-based provision. Evidence suggests that, with the right support, these settings can deliver quality early learning at scale14 – particularly in communities where more formal infrastructure may remain out of reach. This is precisely what SmartStart has been doing since 2015. It is an example of how government can harness the energy and effectiveness of informal socio-economic networks. These networks support local economies, particularly in areas where formal markets and institutions are weak or inaccessible.

THE SMARTSTART MODEL

As the country’s first and largest early-learning delivery platform, SmartStart enables delivery at scale through a network of partners and branches that train and support early learning practitioners to implement a standardised, evidence-based programme for children aged three to five. The model is a social franchise that offers a scalable solution in communities where access to ELPs is limited, and purposebuilt infrastructure is constrained by broader socio-economic conditions. Through its network, SmartStart recruits and trains practitioners to run their own programmes.

Backed by evidence and global best practice, the SmartStart programme equips three- to five-year-old children with the foundational skills they need to learn more complex concepts later on. At the same time, it enables practitioners to earn

10 Stach, M. and Motsoeneng, P. 2022. Practitioner training, mentoring, and support in Early Learning Programme quality. Action Brief Available at: https://tinyurl.com/54crdrrj

11 Department of Basic Education. 2021 Early Childhood Development Census. Pretoria. Available at: https://datadrive2030.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ecdc-2021report.pdf

12 Department of Basic Education of the Republic of South Africa. 2023. South Africa’s 2030 Strategy for Early Childhood Development Programmes. Pretoria. p.18. Available here: https://tinyurl.com/5duvf7j2

13 Ibid.

14 SmartStart. 2023. Briefing 1: Summary of findings – SmartStart Child Outcomes

Evaluation. Available here: https://smartstart.org.za/files/briefing-1.pdf

an income as micro-social entrepreneurs, building a growing cohort that could be integrated into a future national ECD service delivery system.

SmartStart has reached nearly 300 000 children since its inception, through approximately 22 000 practitioners across nine provinces.15 SmartStart’s bold and ambitious work in lowincome communities is spurred by the conviction that children who attend quality ELPs have a much better chance of thriving compared to children who do not.

SMARTSTART CHILD OUTCOMES EVALUATION IN 2023

In 2023, SmartStart evaluated the efficacy of its programmes using the Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) – a set of population-based child assessment tools designed to determine whether children are developmentally on track for their age. Independent researchers tracked the progress of a representative sample of 551 children in 325 SmartStart ELPs over an eight-month period. They found that overall, and adjusted for age maturation, the percentage of children developmentally on track increased by 20 points during the research period, from 45% to 65%, while the proportion of children who were falling behind nearly halved.16 The biggest improvements were observed in early maths, followed by fine motor skills and early literacy. This evaluation shows that SmartStart is shifting outcomes for children.

But how do these early gains translate into the transition to formal schooling? A SmartStart-commissioned study explored this by gathering insights from teachers, parents, and children themselves. The research focused on a group of eight- to 13-year-olds from rural and urban areas in four provinces (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape) between November 2023 and April 2024. This smallscale qualitative research study set out to document the children’s experiences of their education journeys and the perceived benefits of early learning in preparing them for ‘big school’.

SMARTSTART ALUMNI RESEARCH FINDINGS

The alumni research found that SmartStart not only improved access to early learning in low-income communities, but also provided quality early learning, ensuring that children had access to the best foundation to start school.

The following are the major findings of the as-yet-unpublished report:

SmartStart has transformed and improved the value of early learning in low-income communities. Previously, parents only associated early learning with a place where their children could go to play and sleep while they were at work. In communities where SmartStart programmes exist, early learning is now increasingly associated with children acquiring important academic and life skills.

15 SmartStart. 2025. Homepage. Available at: https://smartstart.org.za/

16 SmartStart. 2025. ECD Breakthrough: New South African Study shows the way for taking quality early learning to every young child. Available at: https://smartstart.org.za/news.html

“SmartStart is raising awareness regarding the importance of early learning because if your child goes to SmartStart, the teachers provide workshops that train parents on how to make sure early learning continues in the home.”

- Anonymous parent, Gauteng

“I only learned that early learning is important to build self-esteem [and] prepare kids for primary school so that they are able to grasp things fast, when my child went to a SmartStart centre.”

– Anonymous, parent, Gauteng

SmartStart children receive a superior early learning curriculum, resulting in better academic and life skills. These include legible handwriting and the ability to follow a school routine, engage in storytelling, and share with other children before starting Grade R. Interviews with teachers and parents in the community highlight a widely held belief that children enrolled in SmartStart benefit from a top-notch early learning curriculum.

The programme equips them with essential academic and life skills, which are often not found in other early education settings in low-income areas. Notably, parents of children who have graduated from SmartStart often choose to enrol their younger children in the same programme, foregoing other options. Some even go to great lengths and make financial sacrifices to ensure their children continue experiencing the advantages that come with SmartStart.

3

SmartStart has raised the bar on what parents expect of early learning practitioners. Parents expressed that it was only after discovering SmartStart that they began to form clear expectations regarding the quality and content of ELPs, as well as the characteristics they desire in early learning practitioners. In communities where SmartStart is well-integrated, parents now view a skilled and capable early learning practitioner as someone who has received training through SmartStart.

SmartStart offers a range of activities and support aimed at engaging parents regularly. These include parent meetings and end-of-term reports that keep caregivers informed about their child's progress. Additionally, there are initiatives designed to boost parent participation in early learning.

“SmartStart is so good that even though I have now moved and live far from the nearest SmartStart creche, I pay for transport fees for my youngest child to attend there because I have seen the difference they have made in my older child’s academic preparation

“With my own children, I did not know that a preschool teacher has to be someone who has received formal training. We thought people who open creches are just ordinary women who love children and maybe who want to do this as a business. But once my grandchild, the one who is [now] in Grade 4, went to SmartStart and I learnt that his teacher is well-trained, we said ‘no man not just anybody can open a creche’, because you can see it in the children if a [preschool] teacher is properly trained.”

- Anonymous grandparent, KwaZulu-Natal

SmartStart alumni can clearly articulate, symbolically or otherwise, that their SmartStart early learning foundation has not only made it easy to adapt and excel in primary school, but has filled them with hope for and confidence about their future. SmartStart alumni exhibited remarkable analytical abilities and critical reflection skills, which are not commonly depicted in portrayals of low-income children.

These traits were evidenced in the photographs that the alumni took for the Photovoice component of the study. For instance, one memorable photograph taken by a SmartStart alumnus from Gauteng depicted a playground with a swing, and when researchers asked the child to share what the picture symbolised, they said the swing reminded them of how their SmartStart teacher was always there to propel them forward when they were struggling to learn something new.

SmartStart has transformed how the education system connects to the realities of low-income communities, by making early learning not only physically accessible but also embedded within the social ecosystem of villages, townships and informal settlements. Parents place high value on the convenience and psychosocial reassurance that comes with placing their children in SmartStart programmes, as a result of these creches being physically, socially and culturally embedded in their communities.

“Even

if I was not able to pick up my child, the creche owner was able to keep her and I had no problem because I know her, we go to church and even masingcwabisane (burial society) together.”

– Anonymous parent, KwaZulu-Natal

Below is a list of the academic and life skills that were corroborated by the alumni children’s teachers and parents.

ACADEMIC SKILLS:

Gross and fine motor skills.

Basic numeric skills (counting, the ability to identify/ recognise and write numbers).

The ability to identify all of the letters of the alphabet.

Most children exit fully competent in writing their names.

Most children exit able to tell stories, repeat stories read to them, and know how to pay attention and sit quietly during story time.

Children exit able to convey what they are learning at school to others.

LIFE SKILLS:

Respect and discipline.

The ability to follow a routine.

The ability to follow instructions.

The ability to socialise with other children in a kind manner.

An understanding of the value of being helpful to others.

Psychological and social preparedness for primary school.

THE VALUE OF HOME-BASED LEARNING

These findings suggest that the effectiveness of the SmartStart model in early learning may lie not in its homebased approach as a secondary factor, but in its role as a core feature of the programme. By addressing not only the tangible barriers but also the myriad intangible psychosocial, cultural, and practical challenges that can hinder lowincome children's access to early learning opportunities, SmartStart demonstrates that home-based early education can transform and decolonise the traditional understanding of early childhood development. This transformation aligns more closely with the lived experiences and practices of marginalised communities.

MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED

The insights into the significant impact of home-based facilities should not be seen to imply that home-based ELPs are free from challenges requiring urgent attention from stakeholders and decision-makers. In fact, individual interviews with SmartStart practitioners clearly revealed that the potential of home-based ELPs must be strengthened and maintained through supportive legislation, investment in the infrastructure of these facilities, and assistance in income generation.

Additionally, it is important to recognise the extra support needed by practitioners. Both government and private sector stakeholders must understand that low-income communities rely heavily on the selfless efforts of women in low-income communities, who operate under extremely challenging structural conditions and therefore require substantial support that goes beyond what civil society partners like SmartStart can offer.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The SmartStart programme shows that building on existing resources such as home-based learning, and strengthening them with key quality elements like practitioner training, a strong programme design, and ongoing support, offers a valuable yet underused approach.

It is up to the public and private sector, and all those who want a better future for our children, to embrace that approach.

This is the learning experience of:

This learning brief was developed by Hopolang Selebalo, Yanga Zembe and Daniella Horwitz, and edited by Rahima Essop.

THE LEGACY OF DOUGLAS AND ELEANOR MURRAY

DGMT is a South African foundation built on endowments from Douglas and Eleanor Murray to promote charitable, educational, philanthropic and artistic purposes within South Africa. Douglas Murray was the son of, and successor to, John Murray, the founder of the Cape-based construction company, Murray and Stewart, which was established in 1902. This company merged in 1967 with Roberts Construction to become Murray & Roberts, with the parent Trusts as the main shareholders. In 1979, the Trusts combined to form the DG Murray Trust as the main shareholder before the company was publicly listed. Subsequently, the Trust relinquished its ownership to a major finance house. Eleanor Murray remained actively engaged in the work of the Trust until her death in 1993.

The Foundation is now the holder of a portfolio of widely diversified assets, which reduces the risks in funding the achievement of its strategic objectives. DGMT currently distributes about R200 million per year and leverages and manages a similar amount of funding through joint ventures with other investors. DGMT’s ultimate goal is to create an ethical and enabling environment where human needs and aspirations are met; where every person is given the opportunity to fulfil their potential, for both personal benefit and for that of the wider community.

By investing in South Africa’s potential we aim to:

› Create opportunity for personal growth and development that will encourage people to achieve their potential.

› Help reduce the gradients that people face in trying to seize those opportunities.

› Affirm the value and dignity of those who feel most marginalised and devalued by society.

The DGMT Board

TRUSTEES Mvuyo Tom (Chairperson) - Ameen Amod - Shirley Mabusela Murphy Morobe - Hugo Nelson - Diane Radley - Edgar Pieterse

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Harrison