Starting next year, first-grade students in the Western Cape will study mathematics in their mother tongue. This is part of an expansion of a major basic literacy development program for all public primary schools known as the Bala Wande program.
This new mother-tongue-based project is a joint initiative of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the educational non-profit organization Funda Wande. Its goal is to strengthen numeracy skills in junior grades and promote a genuine love for mathematics across the province.
Pilot Project Results Highlight Value of Mother Tongue Learning
The program expansion followed a successful pilot project in 2026, which covered approximately 8,000 first-graders in 70 schools. Emihle Mzulwini, whose child attends first grade at Pelican Park, shared her view: 'When my child comes home, they can truly explain the meaning of 'dosa' [subtract] or 'dibanisa' [add] in their own words. When learning was conducted exclusively in English, they just memorized numbers without understanding their real function.'
Teachers Receive Practical Training
A parent of a first grader, Andiswa Daniels, noted that when children learn in their mother tongue, grasping core concepts becomes significantly easier. She emphasized that learning mathematics itself is a challenge, and attempting to master it in an unfamiliar language from age six doubles that difficulty.
Atabile Tshongweni, a first-grade teacher at Sonwabo Primary School, highly praised the practical approach to learning. Tshongweni stated: 'I find the Funda Wande program interesting and useful. The learning was practical; it wasn't just theory.'
Nobule Mkhlongo from Funda Wande noted that teachers need to undergo this training with confidence that they can implement the intervention in their classrooms, especially since it is new for them. She added: 'Ultimately, it's about the children—we want to see how the learners are progressing.'
In 2027, the full implementation of the program will extend to all 1098 primary schools in the Western Cape, estimated to cover 112,000 first-grade children.
Structured Approach to Mathematics
To prepare for the launch, nearly 3,500 primary school teachers underwent training during the September and October holidays. According to the department, 3,242 first-grade teachers and 225 second-grade teachers have attended practical workshops so far, with additional webinars, continuous professional development, and classroom coaching planned throughout the year.
The Bala Wande methodology moves away from traditional rote learning towards a structured three-step pedagogical model: starting with concrete physical objects (materials), moving to visual representations, and finally progressing to abstract numerical concepts.
Lessons are designed around the 'I do, We do, You do' model, where teachers first demonstrate tasks, then guide collective practice, and finally encourage independent problem-solving.
Ntshiki Nyamza, Senior Curriculum Planner for isiXhosa at WCED, explained: 'We aim to go beyond traditional approaches and offer diverse methods to create a classroom where every child understands mathematics.'
Although the main focus is on expanding instruction in the isiXhosa mother tongue, WCED stressed that Bala Wande supports all three official languages of the Western Cape: Afrikaans, English, and isiXhosa.
WCED representative Bronagh Hammond stated: 'Mathematics is a compulsory subject in the Foundation Phase, as stipulated in CAPS policy. To strengthen mathematics in the Foundation Phase, WCED is launching the program in all first-grade classes. This is part of our Western Cape mathematics strategy.'
Hammond clarified that in 2027, the program will be implemented in all first-grade classes, after which it will gradually be rolled out to all second and third-grade classes.
