THE FUSE

Early developmental readiness does not guarantee long-term academic progress, particularly for vulnerable learners. Findings from the fourth and final wave of the Roots & Shoots study reveal that children in no-fee and low-fee schools are at far greater risk of falling behind by Grade 3 than their peers. The longitudinal study followed learners across 75 public primary schools spanning five Western Cape education districts: Metro Central, Metro East, Metro North, Metro South, and Cape Winelands.