Foundation Phase Education
By Mpho Moloi
Effective from 1 March 2025, the South African government has increased the National Minimum Wage (NMW) by approximately 4.4%, raising it from R27.58 to R28.79 per hour. This adjustment aims to provide essential economic support to the approximately six million workers earning within the NMW bracket.
Details of the National Minimum Wage Adjustment
The NMW serves as the legal minimum amount that employers are required to pay employees for work performed. The recent increase ensures that no employee should be remunerated below R28.79 per hour. Specific provisions include:
• Farmworkers and Domestic Workers: Both categories now have their minimum wage aligned with the standard NMW, ensuring equitable pay across these sectors.
• Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Workers: Individuals employed under the EPWP are entitled to a minimum wage of R15.83 per hour, recognizing the unique nature of these public employment initiatives.
Government’s Commitment to Foundational Learning
In addition to economic measures, the South African Cabinet has expressed robust support for the strategic reorientation of the basic education sector towards foundational learning. This initiative addresses critical challenges in early childhood education, aiming to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills among young learners.
Key Initiatives in Foundation Phase Education
The Department of Basic Education has outlined several initiatives to enhance foundational learning:
• Universal Access to Quality Early Childhood Development (ECD): Efforts are underway to register ECD centres en masse, ensure each child receives a subsidy, provide learning and teaching materials, and support practitioners in obtaining teaching qualifications. Funding for these initiatives has been allocated in the 2025 National Budget.
• Review of Norms and Standards: The government plans to increase teacher posts in the foundation phase, ensuring that young learners receive adequate attention and instruction during their critical early years.
• Reorientation of the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme: To attract and support aspiring foundation phase educators, the bursary programme will prioritize students who wish to teach in this vital educational stage.
Addressing Literacy Challenges
Despite celebrating a record-high matric pass rate of 87.4% in January 2025, systemic evaluations revealed that nearly 80% of South African children cannot read for meaning in any language by the age of 10. To tackle this issue, the government is focusing on:
• Early Childhood Development (ECD): Recognizing the critical importance of early education, the government has added a compulsory year of schooling for five to six-year-olds and moved early learning centres from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education. However, these efforts face funding shortages and implementation challenges.
• Innovative Educational Resources: Programs like Vula Bula, which provide openly licensed reading materials in South Africa’s nine official African languages, are being utilized to improve foundational reading skills.
International Support and Initiatives
The global community has also shown support for South Africa’s educational reforms:
• World Bank’s AIM4Learning Program: Launched in February 2025, this $1.54 billion initiative aims to enhance learning outcomes in basic education across Eastern and Southern Africa, benefiting over 70 million children, including those in South Africa.
• Roger Federer’s Visit: In February 2025, Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer visited South Africa to support early childhood education projects. His foundation funds initiatives aimed at increasing school attendance and reducing dropout rates across six Southern African countries, including South Africa.
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