Missing pre-primary foundation hurts learners

Kavango East education director Christine Shilima says the region's high Grade 1 repetition rate is driven by low pre-primary school attendance. Yesterday, she said only 40% of learners who entered Grade 1 last year had attended pre-primary education.

Speaking at a stakeholders conference on improving academic performance in the region, Shilima said the remaining 60% of learners started Grade 1 without a pre-primary foundation, forcing teachers to first focus on basic social and developmental skills before formal learning can effectively take place.

Shilima also called for increased digitalisation in schools, noting that some schools in the region still lack connectivity.

-Eliot Ipinge