Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
17 September 2025 | 13:45 CAT

📸 The Thrive by Five Index warns that more than half of four-year-olds are not meeting key developmental milestones, highlighting deep inequality in access to quality early childhood education.

The 2024 Thrive by Five Index has revealed a sobering reality for South Africa’s youngest children: more than half of four-year-olds are not meeting key developmental milestones. Experts warn this could have long-term implications for the nation’s future if urgent interventions are not made.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Tshepo Mantje, Right-to-ECD coordinator, explained that the Thrive by Five Index is the most comprehensive survey of its kind, assessing children across all nine provinces. It measures progress in three key developmental areas, cognitive, physical, and social-emotional growth.

“The study has shown that only 42% of young children or four-year-olds currently at early learning programs are reaching their milestones, which leaves us with 58% who are not,” said Mantje. “This is alarming because we would assume that because those children are at the center, they are getting the developmental support they need. But what this reveals is that access is not enough. We also have to solve for quality.”

The findings highlight stark inequality. Children in high-fee early learning programmes are reportedly twice as likely to be developmentally on track compared to those in low-fee centres. Mantje stressed that poorer communities are being left behind: “The statistics show that inequality in South Africa is affecting the youngest children the most.”

Part of the problem lies in the historically informal nature of the ECD sector, where many unregistered creches operate without oversight. Since the Department of Basic Education (DBE) took over ECD in 2020, efforts have been made to introduce norms and standards and encourage registration.

“The first point of departure here is to ensure that early ECD centres are registered and recognised by the Department of Basic Education,” Mantje explained. “Once registered, it’s about getting the support they need from infrastructure and services provided by local government, to curriculum development and practitioner training supported by DBE, to civil society and community-based organisations.”

Mantje also underscored the vital role of parents, reminding that early childhood development is not confined to formal centres but spans conception to age six. “Parents themselves are the first teachers of young children and need to be supporting their development,” he said.

The Thrive by Five Index paints a grim but actionable picture: unless urgent steps are taken to ensure quality ECD for all, the future trajectory of South Africa’s children and the nation itself remains at risk.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Tshepo Mantje.