In July, South Africa observes Science Month, recognizing the significant contribution that science, technology, and innovation make to the country's future. This celebration highlights researchers expanding the boundaries of knowledge, engineers developing the economy, healthcare workers saving lives through medical innovations, and entrepreneurs using technology to solve serious national problems.
However, Science Month also prompts a deeper question: where does a scientist begin? The answer is not in a university laboratory or a research institute, but in the primary school classroom. The scientific inclination begins when a child first masters reading comprehension, confidently counts, is not afraid to ask questions, and starts to understand the world around them.
Before a student can solve equations in Grade 12 or study engineering at university, they must first master the basic elements of learning in their earliest years. This is why the Department of Basic Education has deliberately shifted the focus of its reform program towards strengthening foundational learning. South Africa cannot expect significant growth in participation in subjects like Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Technology (STEM) if too many students enter high school unable to read for comprehension or demonstrate age-appropriate literacy.
Weak foundations close doors for students long before they have to choose subject packages for Grade 10. The latest National Senior Certificate results, published in January 2026, confirm this reality. Although there is a gradual increase in enrollment in key subjects such as Mathematics and Physics, only about 34% of graduates chose Mathematics, while 66% decided not to take it. This represents both an educational and a national development problem, as every student who feels incapable of studying mathematics means a loss of potential scientific talent for the country.
The solution is not to lower standards or force children to choose these key subjects, but to ensure that every child develops the skills and confidence necessary for success long before entering high school. By the time they reach Grade 10, they will be able to confidently choose Mathematics and Natural Sciences because they have already formed fundamental literacy and numeracy skills.
Therefore, early childhood development has become a priority area as the first step toward building South Africa's future scientific potential. Over the past year, the Department exceeded its target of registering 10,000 early development centres, increasing RCD registration by more than 200%. This has allowed over one million children to be included in formal, registered programmes that provide quality early learning, nutrition, and developmental support. Furthermore, a results-based Education Fund has been established to create thousands of new learning spaces in the most rural communities, as scientific talent exists in every village, town, and suburb. Opportunities must go where they are.
Commitment to strengthening literacy is equally important, as scientific thinking depends on reading, understanding, and communication. A student cannot interpret scientific concepts or solve complex problems if they struggle with reading comprehension. Through initiatives like the Upumelele Foundation National Survey, data is used to identify areas where reading is compromised, and targeted measures are implemented to improve outcomes. Expanding bilingual education in the mother tongue helps students grasp concepts more deeply, allowing them to comprehend complex ideas in the languages they are most familiar with before confidently transitioning to additional languages.
Strong mathematical literacy is also crucial. Mathematics is often called the language of science, but mathematical confidence is built over many years through consistent learning, appropriate learning materials, and qualified teachers. Therefore, models for teacher deployment are being reviewed to adequately equip the primary level. More than 10,000 primary teachers will be trained in 2026, which will strengthen primary teacher development, improve curriculum support, and ensure that necessary resources are available in every classroom for children's success.
These reforms are designed as a systemic strategic reorientation that will expand opportunities for all children. The next generation of scientists, doctors, data analysts, software engineers, agricultural researchers, and renewable energy specialists are currently in classrooms across South Africa. Some attend well-resourced schools, but many attend under-resourced schools in towns and rural villages, where poverty continues to create huge obstacles to learning. Nevertheless, it is known that potential is evenly distributed, even when opportunities are not.
It is our duty as a government to close this opportunity gap. The image guiding our work is the baobab tree. A baobab does not grow tall overnight; first, it develops deep, resilient roots capable of supporting generations during drought and hardship. The education system is no different. Countries that produce world-class scientists do so by investing patiently and consistently in the earliest years of learning.
Science Month reminds us that tomorrow's discoveries depend on the decisions made today. Every primary teacher helping a child understand numbers, every parent reading with a child at home, every specialist nurturing curiosity in an early development centre, and every community protecting school infrastructure contributes to South Africa's scientific future. If we want more engineers designing our infrastructure, more researchers developing vital medicines, more innovators creating globally competitive businesses, and more young South Africans participating in the knowledge economy, we must continue to strengthen the foundations upon which these ambitions are built. Science begins with curiosity. Innovation begins with learning. And South Africa's future begins in our classrooms.
