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Our children are in terrible crisis, but we can use this as an opportunity to bring about crucial change

Mark Tomlinson
By Mark Tomlinson
8 Oct 2024
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Our leaders must be brave in their decision-making, put young children at the centre of policy-making and position our investment in young children as an investment in reducing poverty and inequality.

Advances in brain imaging and science in the past 60 years have transformed our understanding of the human brain, revealed the incredible capacities of infants and children, and deepened our understanding of what young children need in order to flourish.

The past decade has also seen the publication of three Lancet series on how to improve early childhood development (ECD), as well as the publication by the World Health Organization, Unicef, and the World Bank of the Nurturing Care Framework, which provides a roadmap of what young children and their families need in order to meet their developmental potential.

From the point of view of evidence, guidelines and frameworks, we have what we need to substantively improve the lives of young children.

Despite this, children in South Africa and globally continue to face countless risks and threats to their development. The Covid-19 pandemic and associated aftershocks have precipitated a substantial growth in global poverty, with increases in malnutrition and stunting. Globally, children are facing increasing conflict and war in many regions.

In South Africa, well over 50% of children in early learning programmes are not developmentally on track, while 81% of Grade 4 children in South Africa are unable to read for meaning.

Massive inequality


South Africa is a country characterised by massive inequality, endemic poverty, and an education system that is failing the vast majority of South African children. And all of this is taking place against the backdrop of an ever-evolving climate emergency.

The 17th edition of the South African Child Gauge (“Tracking progress and enhancing early childhood development”) was published in August, 2024. The Gauge is a seminal publication that provides state-of-the-art evidence and data on the current situation of children in South Africa.

This particular edition is a follow-up to the 2013 Child Gauge (“Essential services for young children”) which focused attention on the range of services and supports needed to nurture young children’s development.

This year’s gauge also takes place in a year that has seen the convergence of a number of significant local political events. It is the fifth time South Africans have voted in a democratic election, and for the first time, the ANC lost its absolute majority. This has ushered in a Government of National Unity with all the promises and problems that coalitions bring.

Wonderful opportunity


In addition, over the course of the last few years the responsibility for improving early child development has shifted from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education. The 2024 issue of the gauge is a wonderful opportunity to assess the progress that has (or has not) been made over the past decade.

Almost 10 years ago, together with Professor Linda Richter and other colleagues, we published a report titled “Early Means Early” in which we presented findings from interviews with South African policymakers, stakeholders and members of the public about the importance of the early years.

We were keen to understand how these groups understood and framed the early development of children and what needs to be done. One of our findings was how the term “ECD” continues to be routinely used as “shorthand” for a time period (0-3 years; pregnancy to 5 years; 0-9 years); and most frequently as a place (“we fund ECDs – preschool”).

We argued that when “ECD” becomes a place (preschool or creche) rather than an outcome (improving early child development) the youngest children are routinely forgotten.

This was reflected in other findings from that work that showed that despite considerable agreement about how important the very early years are (the first 100 days – pregnancy to the end of the second year), when participants were asked about what should be done to improve ECD, many stated that it was only during preschool that learning and other key skills begin to be acquired.

We called this “ageing up” with resources being channelled to preschools and Grade R (obviously important), but at the expense of the very early years.

This possibility of course takes on added resonance with the transfer of responsibility for improving ECD to the Department of Basic Education. With the best of intentions, a department whose brief until now has been solely education and only extending to Grade R, is likely to pivot to what they know best.

However, if we continue to fail to invest earlier in the health, nutrition and care of pregnant women, infants and young children, then even the best attempts at improving preschool learning are unlikely to succeed.

And crucially, we will be expecting the impossible from already overburdened teachers.

Climate breakdown and our current climate emergency is a singular threat to young children, and as is the case in most crises, the poorest and most vulnerable children will suffer the most.

Dangerous


We know, for example, that air pollution is dangerous for everybody, but particularly for infants and young children as they breathe faster and more frequently than adults, thus taking in more pollution.

Our position at the bottom of the continent will not save us from the climate emergency. We must place young children at the centre of our approach to dealing with climate breakdown.

The Oxford-based philosopher Roman Krznaric recently published a book titled “History for Tomorrow: Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity” that looks to history for lessons to help current crises. In it, he points out that the frequently cited Chinese word for crisis is not so much about crisis and opportunity, as it is about a “change point” or a “critical juncture”. A time where a decision needs to be made about the way forward.

I implore you President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube to firstly acknowledge the crisis our children find themselves in, and to then to make the critical decision to prioritise young children in your planning for the way forward.

Crucial understanding


Please be brave in your decision-making. Please hold close the crucial understanding that early development means early development.

Please put young children at the centre of your policy-making and position your investment in young children as an investment in reducing poverty and inequality.

It is clear that young children in South Africa are in crisis. But let this crisis be an opportunity to make radical decisions and changes.

Globally, and in South Africa, our children are in terrible crisis. And it is increasingly easy to become hopeless, disillusioned, and yes, even cynical.

But Rebecca Solnit offers us solace when she states “hope is not a door, but a sense that there might be a door at some point, some way out of the problems of the present moment even before that way is found or followed. Hope calls for action; action is impossible without hope.”

The time to act for children is now. DM

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