President Cyril Ramaphosa noted on Monday that better educational outcomes in basic education are linked to broader social and economic development, and pointed out that investing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education is key to economic growth, job creation, productivity and economic competitiveness.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that education is a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty, to uplift individuals and communities, and to bring about a more equitable society.

He said the country’s basic education system must produce learners that are able to find work in an ever-changing knowledge- and technology-based global economy.

He highlighted that the efforts of the Department of Basic Education to strengthen the provision of technical and vocational pathways to learners in high school are therefore to be welcomed.

“…such education prepares young people for a diverse range of occupations that are most needed by a growing economy,” he said.

Ramaphosa explained that even in more industrialised economies than South Africa’s, technical and vocational training is recognised as a solid pathway to employment and entrepreneurship.

He pointed to the World Bank’s recent South Africa Economic Update, which highlighted basic education as a key enabler of inclusive growth in South Africa and recommended a set of potential reforms, including prioritising foundational years and focusing on building numeracy and literacy capabilities.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa also pointed to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) provision, which he said promotes social equality.

“Children from poor families benefit most from access to ECD. As the learning journey progresses, quality ECD is also linked to better transitions into high school, lower repetition and dropout rates, and better academic performance overall,” he explained.

Last week, Ramaphosa attended the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, where discussions on how best to realign the existing education curriculum to strengthen foundational learning, including through ongoing assessments, scaling up teacher training and development, and expanding the provision of ECD learning and teacher support material were discussed.

He explained that South Africa has spent 30 years trying to correct the effects of Bantu Education.

“…this effort has now received greater impetus with the passage of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act. This Act makes Grade R, the reception year before Grade 1, compulsory,” he said.

Through an enhanced focus on ECD, Ramaphosa noted that the Act will help ensure that young children are better prepared for formal schooling.

He explained that ECD plays a critical role in developing early literacy, early numeracy and social-emotional skills during an important time in a child’s cognitive development.

“Children who attend quality pre-primary programmes tend to have larger vocabularies, better number awareness, stronger perceptual skills, improved social skills and greater curiosity,” he said.