The Western Cape department of education (WCED) announced that they have made a massive investment into early learning in the province through the ‘back on track” programme.
“It is paying off,” David Maynier, the Western Cape minister of education reported. “Our grade 3 learners have now achieved their highest annual systemic test results for mathematics and language ever.”
Maynier said since 2021grade 3 learners’ mathematics pass rate has increased by 17.7 percentage points, from 44.3% to 62.0%.
“The grade 3 learners’ Language pass rate has increased by 14.3 percentage points, from
36.9% to 51.2%”, he revealed.
“These pass rates exceed pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels, and are the highest pass rates recorded since this test format was implemented.”
This means more children in the province can read and calculate effectively than ever before, which gives them a better chance of succeeding in higher grades and in their post-school careers.
The department piloted a structured language programme for 50 schools in 2021, and rolled it out across all primary schools by 2024. Teachers in grades 1 to 3 were trained in the science of reading, and teacher and learner support materials were provided for all schools.
“And extra time for reading and mathematics was added within the current school day for all learners in grades 1 to 3.”
In 2025, over 91 000 grade 3 learners wrote the independently administered annual systemic tests for mathematics and language.
These tests produce data vital to understanding which skills our learners are mastering, and which areas need additional work.
Schools receive detailed reports that they can use to adapt their teaching and support for their learners.
Maynier pointed out that the above results would not have been possible without the deoartment’s incredible foundation phase teachers. “You have shown up in your numbers for additional training, and made excellent use of the support we have provided. Thank you for the work that you do every day to ensure that your learners are on the right track.”
But there is still more work to be done, and we need to drive our scores up even further, Maynier cautioned.
He said the department will continue to invest in these grades, through the addition of a structured numeracy programme and additional measures to monitor and evaluate the progress in each grade this year. The language programme, he went on, continues, with novice teachers receiving training in the science of reading.
