Early Literacy Is Key to Education Reform, Says Ramaphosa at Lekgotla 2026

“As a country, our commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin where it matters most: in the early grades,” President Ramaphosa said.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a decisive national shift toward strengthening literacy and numeracy in the early years of schooling, warning that the education system cannot succeed unless children acquire strong foundational skills from the outset.

Addressing the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, the President said that building a resilient, capable and equitable education system must begin in the early grades, where the foundations for all future learning are laid.

“As a country, our commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin where it matters most: in the early grades,” President Ramaphosa said.

Lekgotla Opens on a Note of Mourning

The Lekgotla began with a moment of silence for the 12 pupils who lost their lives in a scholar transport accident in the Vaal area. Expressing the nation’s grief, the President extended condolences to the families, teachers and classmates of the children and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

“Our nation is consumed by sorrow. We mourn this loss deeply,” he said.

Foundational Learning a Moral and National Imperative

Turning to education outcomes, President Ramaphosa described early grade reading and numeracy as both a national priority and a moral imperative. He warned that failure to build strong foundations leads to long-term systemic costs.

“When children do not learn to read for meaning or to work confidently with numbers by the end of the Foundation Phase, the cost is borne by the entire education system,” he said.

Weak foundations, he cautioned, result in repetition, dropouts, poor progression, and the loss of human potential, forcing learners to spend their entire school careers trying to catch up.

Government Focus on Evidence-Based Teaching

The President said government is intensifying efforts to strengthen evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy, alongside teacher training and improved access to quality learning materials.

He stressed the need for:

• Well-trained teachers in every classroom

• A coherent and structured curriculum

• Age-appropriate, grade-specific and culturally relevant learning materials

According to the President, investing in foundational learning will help South Africa build an education system that is resilient, adaptable to shocks, and capable of equipping children with skills for a rapidly changing world.

Global Cooperation and Signs of Progress

President Ramaphosa highlighted South Africa’s participation in international platforms, including the Heads of State Network on Foundational Learning, established during recent G20 Education meetings, as well as ongoing cooperation with BRICS partners.

While acknowledging improvements in matric results, he cautioned that inequality tends to re-emerge later in the system if early learning foundations are weak.

“The National Senior Certificate results of 2025 reinforce our view that without strong foundations in the early years, inequality resurfaces later,” he said.

He described the performance of the Class of 2025 as a “silent revolution,” noting that over 66% of learners qualifying for bachelor’s studies came from no-fee schools, marking significant progress in tackling poverty and exclusion.

Call to Put Early Learning at the Core

The President urged that early learning—from birth to the age of nine—be firmly anchored at the heart of education reform, rather than focusing disproportionately on matric outcomes.

“Solid foundations in early learning are essential for successful onward learning and lifelong development,” he said.

Concluding his address, President Ramaphosa called on government, educators, communities, and civil society to work together to prioritise foundational learning.

“Let us make foundational learning the heartbeat of our education system. Together, we can ensure that every child in South Africa is ready for the future.”