Early Childhood Development in Knysna: Recovery and Gaps After COVID-19
Revised version as of 2 April 2025 with consideration of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic may have had on the children’s progress and ELOM results.
New data from the Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) offers a mixed picture of how young children in Knysna are faring in the wake of COVID-19. While recent results show promising gains among the youngest cohort, children who were toddlers during the pandemic continue to struggle with key developmental milestones.
In 2022 and 2024, the KET team administered the ELOM 4-5 Assessment to evaluate the Grade R readiness of children participating in our learning programmes offered by local early childhood development centres. Developed by DataDrive2030, this assessment tracks the developmental progress of children as they prepare for Grade R, measuring key milestones. The results from these assessments show a marked improvement in the proportion of children currently on track to meet developmental goals—but it’s important to note that this reflects a different, younger cohort than those assessed two years ago, who were more directly affected by the disruptions of COVID-19.
Key Findings: Encouraging Signs, but context matters
The latest ELOM results show what looks like a dramatic improvement in early childhood development: in 2022, only 44% of 4–5-year-olds were on track developmentally, while by 2024, that figure had risen to 68%. However, these results reflect two different cohorts. The 2022 group experienced their crucial early years during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, while the 2024 group were infants or toddlers at the time and less directly impacted.
The proportion of children falling behind dropped from 31% to 20%, and those falling far behind declined from 25% to 12%. These shifts are encouraging and may reflect a broader system recovery—but it’s important not to attribute the change solely to programme interventions without acknowledging the wider context, including the lasting effects of COVID-19 on the older cohort now in Grade R.
KET’s Occupational Therapist-Led Approach
A deeper dive into the progress of children enrolled in The Learning Initiative’s Blocks for Growth programme—an intervention led by occupational therapists—revealed even more promising results. This programme specifically targets children assessed as at risk of not meeting their developmental milestones in their pre-Grade R year. Following intensive support, 68% of the children who participated in this programme are now on track for Grade R.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening Support for Grade R and Beyond
While the results from the 4-5 year old cohort are highly encouraging, we are also turning our attention to supporting Grade R children as they transition to Grade 1. In partnership with KILT, we introduced further support of Grade R practitioners and learners in 2024. We conducted assessments to test school readiness at the end of the year.
The 2024 ELOM results for Grade R learners highlight serious developmental concerns, particularly in language and numeracy. Nearly 70% of children were found to be falling behind or significantly behind in these foundational areas. This cohort likely experienced the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns during their formative years—ages 3 to 4—and many only returned to structured early learning environments at age 5. Missing this critical window may have had a lasting impact on their development.
In response, we are intensifying support through targeted teacher development workshops, improved access to learning resources, and greater efforts to involve parents in their children’s early education. With these focused interventions, we are hopeful that the 2025 ELOM Grade R results will show meaningful progress.
Conclusion: Steady Progress, Clear Priorities
KET’s results over the past two years show promising gains in preparing 4–5-year-olds for Grade R, with improvements that stand out positively against national trends. While these outcomes are encouraging, the challenges faced by the current Grade R cohort remind us that recovery from early developmental setbacks—especially those linked to COVID-19—will take time and sustained effort. By remaining focused on targeted support and strengthening the foundations of early learning, we’re committed to building on this momentum and playing our part in ensuring that every child enters formal schooling ready to thrive.