LEARNING WHAT MATTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA - A NETWORK-BASED APPROACH TO TRANSFORMING EARLY LEARNING

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

A research report titled "Learning What Matters in South Africa" examines how education systems can transform to prioritize a breadth of skills for young children and youth, grounded in locally relevant interpretations. It introduces the SmartStart network model—linking a central hub with decentralized franchisees through community-based clubs—and explains how cross-sector partnerships provide training, licensing, financial, and evidence-based resources for home and community early learning for ages 3–5. The report also sets a shared exploratory question and defines frameworks used to study barriers and levers for change.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

About SmartStart

About this Series

Framing Our Inquiry: The 4 Ps and 3 Cs - as Working Frameworks

LEARNING WHAT MATTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA A NETWORK-BASED APPROACH TO TRANSFORMING EARLY LEARNING Anne Mc Lennan, Jessica Van Der Westhuizen, Hopolang Selebalo, Jon Fish Hodgson, Modupe Olateju, Rachel Dyl, and Claudia Hui ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to the completion of this research. We are especially indebted to SmartStart network partners, the Siyakholwa Development Foundation, Project Preparation Trust, Khululeka, the coaches who guided and facilitated SmartStart site visits, as well as the hub staff, franchisors, and franchisees (anonymized) who participated in interviews. Their openness and thoughtful engagement provided invaluable insights into everyday barriers and levers for change. We are also grateful for the SmartStart staff who coordinated logistics for site visits, and for the Policy and Advocacy team for their constructive guidance and intellectual input throughout the research process. Our deep and sincere appreciation goes to Sarah Lytle, nonresident fellow at CUE for her insightful comments on an earlier draft of the paper, and to our editor, Jennifer O’Donoghue, deputy director of CUE, whose thorough review greatly enriched this paper. Brookings gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the LEGO Foundation. Brookings recognizes that the value it provides is in its commitment to quality, independence, and impact. Activities supported by its donors reflect this commitment. ACRONYMS | DBE | Department of Basic Education | | --- | --- | | ECCE | Early Childhood Care and Education | | ECD | Early Childhood Development | | ELOM | Early Learning Outcomes Measure | | ELPs | Early Learning Programs | | LMICs | Low-and Middle-Income Countries | | NDP | National Development Plan | | NEST | Network for Education Systems Transformation | | NIECDP | National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy | | NGOs | Non-Government Organizations | | NSNP | National School Nutrition Program | | UNICEF | United Nations Children's Fund | LEARNING WHAT MATTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA 1 ABOUT SMARTSTART SmartStart is South Africa’s largest network of quality, affordable early learning providers, serving over 160,000 children weekly through a platform model that positions local women as franchisees, delivering early learning in their communities. Working collaboratively in cross-sectoral partnerships, SmartStart establishes early learning programs, strengthens early learning ecosystems, and provides training, licensing, financial and evidence-based program resources that support the delivery of affordable home and community-based early learning opportunities to 3-5 year olds at scale. SmartStart programming operates through a franchise model linking a central operational hub to decentralized franchisors (NGOs) and franchisees (local women practitioners) through a network of ‘clubs’. This model aims to create a country-wide coherence with distributed, proximate problem-solving, powered by local actors’ agency in diverse contexts. SmartStart is a member of the Network for Education Systems Transformation (NEST) . SmartStart partnered with the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution as part of the NEST South Africa study. LEARNING WHAT MATTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA 2 ABOUT THiS SERiES1 How well are education systems creating opportunities for children and young people to learn what matters? Education systems worldwide face mounting pressure to prepare children and young people not just for academic success, but for meaningful participation in an increasingly complex world (UNESCO 2023) . Growing evidence suggests that to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, children and young people need a broad set of skills, including but not limited to literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, socioemotional learning, and civic engagement (Dweck, Walton, and Cohen 2014; Martinez 20

FAQs

What is SmartStart’s network model in South Africa?

SmartStart operates through a franchise model connecting a central operational hub with decentralized franchisors and franchisees via network “clubs,” using local women as franchisees to deliver early learning in their communities.

What is the report’s shared exploratory question?

The shared exploratory question asks how well education systems create opportunities for children and young people to learn what matters.

Why does the report emphasize a “breadth of skills”?

It frames transformation around an integrated set of academic, socioemotional, and transversal competencies so all children and young people can thrive.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake