The measurable impact of investing in youth education

AS SOUTH Africa prepares to observe National Children’s Day on November 1, the question every boardroom, policymaker and family should be asking is: how are we investing in our children’s potential? For the Ruta Sechaba Foundation, the answer has become increasingly clear.

- STAFF REPORTER

“Quality education for disadvantaged learners is not a cost — it is the smartest investment a nation can make,” says Natasha Mkhize, executive: strategic relations at the Ruta Sechaba Foundation. “Supporting the brightest learners from disadvantaged backgrounds does more than change individual lives — it generates a ripple effect that strengthens families, communities and the country’s economic future.”

The foundation’s recent impact study, covering 2020 to 2024, tracks 2 752 learners and highlights significant academic transformation.

In English, 86% of learners scored above 65% in 2024, up from 77.8% in 2020.