By Carol Paton –
THE introduction of grade R in schools has had almost no effect on the learning progress of poor children, a new study commissioned by the Department of Basic Education shows.
The study is a blow to the government as early interventions in childhood development have been widely found to improve educational outcomes. Grade R is officially known as reception grade and was inserted into the school curriculum a year before grade 1.
The grade R programme has grown enormously. In 2001, 242,000 children were in grade R in public schools, growing to 768,000 by 2012.
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