School Readiness Programme: What’s Ahead in 2025

By Siyakwazi | 5 March 2025 |

Our Siyasizas are already in full swing, conducting Red Flag screenings with around 2,000 children across KwaNzimakwe and KwaXolo. These screenings are a vital first step in spotting children who may need extra support to catch up this year. Looking back at 2024, we saw both significant challenges and remarkable successes, which are shaping the way we move forward in the School Readiness Programme.

Red Flag screenings in progress last week at Gcilima Primary School, KwaXolo.

Looking Back at 2024: Key Highlights & Challenges
Last year’s screening identified 665 children at risk of falling behind academically, the highest number recorded in seven years since the programme began.

The graphs above show the number of children screened per age group and the percentage at risk of falling behind academically at the start of 2024.

Expanding into KwaXolo allowed us to reach more children but also brought new challenges. In two of these schools, 50% of Grade R learners struggled in their first year of formal schooling. School absenteeism also remained an issue, with attendance averaging only 74% in our catch-up groups. Even in schools with higher attendance, some children continued to battle, indicating deeper learning barriers.

Despite these challenges, our Catch-up Programme made a real impact:

  • 426 flagged children caught up by the end of the year.
  • Significant improvement in counting and numeracy activities across all age groups: Pre-Grade R, 225%; Grade R, 152%; and Grade 1, 257%.
  • We identified 16 children with disabilities through the screening process – a 166% increase from 2023. This highlights the critical role of early identification in ensuring children receive the right support.

The graph above summarises the children who caught up upon rescreening and those who remained flagged at the end of 2024.

But, at the heart of these numbers are real children and families. One of those children is *Esasa. You can read her story here: Breaking Barriers: Esasa’s Story of Early Intervention. Or for more information about our work through the School Readiness Programme, contact us.

*Name changed for privacy.

Posted in Community Outreach, Early Learning Programme, Our Work, School Readiness, Success Stories and tagged , ,

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