President Cyril Ramaphosa urges investment in early-grade literacy and numeracy at the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla. Picture Credit: Polity.org.za
By Aisha Zardad
Benoni – President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the urgent need to strengthen foundational learning in South Africa’s education system, saying early-grade literacy and numeracy are critical to learners’ long-term success and the nation’s development. He delivered the keynote address at the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla held at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Benoni on Wednesday. The annual gathering brings together education leaders to set priorities and strategies for improving learning outcomes.
Ramaphosa described education as “the engine of development” and said the National Development Plan envisions an education system where learners are equipped with strong foundational skills in literacy, numeracy and science. “As a country, our commitment to a resilient and capable education system must begin where it matters most: in the early grades, where the foundations for all future learning are laid,” he said. Strengthening early reading and numeracy, he added, is both a national priority and moral imperative.
According to the president, when children fail to learn to read for meaning or work confidently with numbers by the end of the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3), the entire system suffers. He noted that weak early learning often leads to repetition, dropout and poor progression, imposing long-term costs on individuals and the education sector. “Unless we get it right at the outset, learners spend the rest of their school careers trying to catch up,” he explained.
Ramaphosa outlined efforts to improve classrooms and teaching. The government is intensifying its focus on evidence-based teaching and ensuring that every classroom is supported by a coherent curriculum, well-trained teachers, and high-quality, age-appropriate learning materials. By investing in foundational learning, he said, South Africa can build a more resilient education system capable of adapting to challenges and equipping children with skills needed in a rapidly changing world.
He pointed to progress reflected in the 2025 National Senior Certificate results, where a notable increase in learners from no-fee schools qualified for bachelor’s degree entry, as evidence of strides against inequality. However, Ramaphosa also warned of ongoing challenges, including high dropout rates and slow growth in vocational education, stressing the need for a unified effort among government, civil society, parents and educators to support learners throughout their schooling.
