By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The MRP Foundation's Head of Programmes and Innovation, Karen Wells, has challenged the effectiveness of South Africa's Grade R system in a new opinion piece titled "Reimagining Early Education in South Africa for Equitable Futures". Citing the Roots & Shoots study, the article argues that the current model, particularly in under-resourced schools, is failing to close developmental gaps and may actually be worsening educational inequality from an early age. Wells therefore proposes a re-evaluation of early education, highlighting the success of the EduRise programme as a potential model for systemic reform...