By Johnathan Paoli
Children who start Grade 1 at the minimum age of five-and-a-half years face a significantly higher risk of repeating the grade compared to those who begin school at six.
This is according to a new report released by the Stellenbosch University’s Research on Socio-Economic Policy group. It reveals critical insights into the South African education system concerning challenges of early Grade 1 entry, gender disparities in learning progression, and an innovative teaching approach known as “learner-following”.
“This study examines the long-term impacts of early school entry, linguistic challenges and subject choices in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase, providing valuable insights for policymakers and educators,” Stellenbosch University said in a statement.
Boys in particular, are more vulnerable to this early academic setback.
In the Eastern Cape, the repetition rate for boys who enter school at 5-and-a-half-years-old is 31%, whereas for girls of the same group, the rate is 19%.
In contrast, boys who start school a year later experience a repetition rate of 20%, while girls’ repetition rates drop to just 8%.
This pattern, consistent across multiple provinces, suggests that younger learners, especially boys, may lack the developmental readiness required for formal schooling, leading to early academic struggles.
Another key finding is the significant challenge boys face when transitioning to English as the language of instruction in Grade 4.
In many South African schools, African languages are used as the medium of instruction in the Foundation Phase (Grades 1-3), before shifting to English in Grade 4.
The report supports the theory of linguistic interdependence, which suggests that a strong foundation in a learner’s home language facilitates second-language acquisition.
However, learners with weaker home-language skills in Grade 3 are more likely to struggle with English in Grade 4, increasing their risk of repetition.
Data shows that girls consistently outperform boys in this transition, scoring 3 to 5 percentage points higher in English First Additional Language (EFAL) across six provinces.
These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to strengthen home language proficiency and provide additional support for boys during this critical stage.
Gender disparities become even more pronounced in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase (Grades 10-12).
The report reveals that there are nearly 100,000 more girls than boys in Grade 12, a gap largely due to higher repetition and dropout rates among boys.
While repetition rates have declined since the Covid-19 pandemic, boys still experience higher academic setbacks, leading to a higher concentration of boys in lower grades and increasing their likelihood of dropping out before completing high school.
The report explores an innovative approach in some South African schools known as “learner-following”, where teachers advance with their students through successive grades.
For instance, a Grade 1 teacher may move to Grade 2 with the same cohort and continue to Grade 3.
Preliminary findings suggest that this practice could have positive learning outcomes in certain contexts, fostering stronger teacher-student relationships and improving academic continuity.
The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, educators and stakeholders in the South African education system.
Addressing the risk of early school entry, supporting boys through language transitions and tackling high repetition rates are crucial for improving learner progression.
Additionally, further research into the effectiveness of learner-following may offer innovative strategies for enhancing educational outcomes.
As the country continues to work toward education equity and improved learning experiences, the university praised these findings as underscoring the importance of evidence-based interventions that support all learners, regardless of age or gender.
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