By Bulelani Futshane | Starting Chance Programme Manager
"We face a silent crisis in our schools: South Africa has one of the worst performing education systems in the world. ... After a year of school, 50% of Grade 1 learners dont know their letters in the alphabet and 78% of Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning - in any language." Centre for Development and Enterprise March 2023.
This is a depressing and worrying statement which should concern us all.
To change education in South Africa, we need to focus on ensuring that the Early Childhood Development sector is equipping children with the building blocks they need to develop and learn effectively. This means we work with the vital triangle of:
Practitioners / teachers
Principals & Parents.
Starting Chance began 2025 on a high note with a dedicated focus on equipping Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners with essential skills through a comprehensive refresher training course.
This initiative was centered around the Classroom and Learning Management (C.A.L.M) Practitioner Framework, a foundational tool designed to guide and inspire ECD practitioners in effective classroom management and the consistent creation of nurturing, stimulating learning environments for children. The refresher training took place from 13 - 17 January 2025 at Chris Hani Community Hall in Mfuleni and was attended by 28 ECD practitioners from Starting Chance-supported schools.
This five-day intensive training course forms part of an accreditation process with SACE and other relevant accreditation institutions. We aim to sustain and build momentum, ensuring that practitioners critically engage with key early childhood education concepts, reinforcing their pivotal role in child development.
During the training, practitioners actively participated in robust discussions on essential topics such as:
These discussions provided valuable insights into how practitioners interpret and implement these concepts in their classrooms, further refining their teaching methodologies.
One of the significant takeaways from the training was the effectiveness of the compressed five-day workshop format, which allowed for sustained engagement, grasping of key concepts and deeper understanding.
The training event also helped identify key areas where practitioners require further support, which will be addressed in the upcoming eight Training of Teachers in Townships (TTinT) sessions scheduled between February and October 2025. These sessions will be complemented by ongoing mentorship and onsite support visits from the Starting Chance Field-working Team. Recognizing the success of the five-day C.A.L.M training, the organization has formally adopted it as a permanent fixture in the annual training calendar every January, ensuring continuous professional development for ECD practitioners.
"I did not know that blocks can also be added to be part of quiet play, that was new to me." Zizipho Malgas, Little Stars Educare Centre.
"I would like to know more about the transitions in the Daily Programme; I want to know how to make transitions reflect on the Daily Programme Poster." Helvetia Booysen, Annie's Educare Centre
"I didn't know much about the Box Construction but today I know how to create fun and exciting activities using recycling materials." Noluyolo Dakana, Hluma Academy.
In line with Starting Chance’s vision of holistic early childhood development, the organisation is set to expand its Parent Support Programme (PSP) through School-Based Parent Workshops. These workshops aim to ensure that all parents connected to Starting Chance-supported schools gain access to essential learning strategies.
To achieve this, trained Parent Support Representatives (PSRs) will facilitate three practical, hands-on sessions per school, equipping parents with actionable strategies to create stimulating home learning environments. These sessions will emphasise the three core pillars of early childhood education:
By embedding these workshops within schools, Starting Chance aims to impact >2,000 parents, thereby enhancing parental involvement and strengthening community-based learning.
To support Principals, Starting Chance has designed a Principals' Tool Kit, to effectively train Principals to run and sustain a best practice school and create a community of best practice early childhood centres.
The January 2025 activities marked a strong start to the year, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to quality education and community engagement. The successful execution of the C.A.L.M training course and the expansion of the Parent Support Programme align with Starting Chance’s broader vision to provide comprehensive, sustainable support for early childhood development. With structured training, ongoing mentorship, and increased parental involvement, Starting Chance is well-positioned to make a significant impact throughout 2025 and beyond.
Help us make this a year when every child in our Programme gets a significiant start to their educational journey - both at home and in school.
All donations are very gratefully received.
Links:
By Ian Corbett | Chairperson of Starting Chance
By Bulelani Futshane | Starting Chance Programme Coordinator
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