The inclusion of Grade R as the first compulsory year of basic education marks an important development in South Africa’s education landscape. Over three decades, from the 1994 South African Preschool Study Team to the 2024 Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, successive governments have affirmed the value of early learning as a foundation for equality and development. The legislative incorporation of Grade R within the definition of “basic education” gives concrete effect to section 29(1)(a) of the Constitution.
However, the absence of corresponding fiscal provision has resulted in a situation where the right is recognised in law but not realised in practice. This report traces the policy and legal evolution of Grade R, examines the funding and implementation gaps that have emerged, and considers their implications for intergovernmental accountability, constitutional compliance, and the coherence of early childhood development (ECD) governance.
