'We have to change our minds completely about what matters in education. The investment in early education is about at most 5% of the government budget, and yet your best returns are in the first five years,' says SmartStart founder Grace Matlhape.
"In the end, if we are serious about focusing on the future rather than the past, early education is the best opportunity we have to actually make sure that we do something about children's future," says SmartStart founder Grace Matlhape.
Matlhape was speaking on Thursday, 28 August 2025, at The Gathering in Cape Town, Daily Maverick's flagship event. She was taking part in a panel discussion with Daily Maverick managing editor Zukiswa Pikoli, deputy CEO of the DG Murray Trust Kentse Radebe and co-founder of the Kolisi Foundation Rachel Kolisi.
The panel focused on critical issues facing education in South Africa, focusing on innovation, equity and the battle for every child's potential. It addressed the importance of early childhood development (ECD) as foundational for lifelong learning and breaking cycles of poverty and inequality.
The foundational battleground
Research shows 90% of brain development happens during the first five years of life, making ECD South Africa's best investment in...
