KZN collaboration helps shape young minds
The aim is to share successes and challenges, creating a safe learning space where ideas, resources and innovations can move freely between programmes.
Six KZN organisations have united to create South Africa’s first Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) Community of Practice (COP) to openly share learning, expertise and data across urban and rural districts.
This includes Ugu, uMzinyathi, Zululand, uMkhanyakude, uMgungundlovu and uThukela.
Sharing successes and challenges
This collaboration by Thanda (based in the Ugu District), Zero2Five Trust, LETCEE, Lulamaphiko, Midlands Community College and Singakwenza allows each organisation to share their successes and challenges, creating a safe learning space where ideas, resources and innovations can move freely between programmes.
Julika Falconer, CEO of Zero2Five Trust, welcomed President Cyril Ramaposa’s State of the Nation address commitment to elevate ECD to a core foundational education priority with plans to get all children (aged zero to five) into ECD structures by 2030.
“By working as a collective rather than in isolation, we aim to contribute meaningful evidence to the broader South African ECD sector,” she said.
Developmentally on track
The decision to collaborate was inspired by the findings of the Thrive by Five Index, the largest survey of preschool child outcomes ever attempted in the country. It measured the proportion of children aged between 50-59 months across nine provinces to determine whether or not they were developmentally “on track” for their ages.
The findings were that 55% of South African children attending ELPs cannot do the learning tasks expected of children their age, with 28% of them falling far behind the expected standard and needing intensive intervention to catch up with their peers.
One in 18 children in this study showed signs of long-term malnutrition. Children between four and five regarded as ‘moderately stunted’ are five to six months behind children with normal height-for age. ‘Mildly stunted’ children are approximately 2.4 months behind.
Strengthening teaching practices
“By using the ELOM tool, the organisations are working together to better understand how children in their programmes are developing, and to test small, practical improvements – known as micro-changes – that can strengthen teaching practices and learning experiences for children.”
For KZN, the next step would be the upcoming first cross-training workshop for the programme leads and trainers of all six organisations.
The collaboration will produce a resource pack of ten low-cost learning resources made from recycled materials. Each learning resource will have suggestions for activities, covering 20 weeks.
The pack will support implementation of the identified micro-changes by providing practical guidance on using each activity to strengthen numeracy, visual-motor integration and executive functioning.
