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This paper presents a success story of parental involvement (PI) during COVID-19. It delves into how teachers successfully involve parents in their children’s education. The data were drawn from evaluative qualitative research to understand the effectiveness of a foundation phase supplementary teaching and learning programme (FPSTLP), which involved three rural primary schools from KwaZulu-Natal. For this paper, the data came from grade two and three teachers from each school, and two teachers from a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that sponsored the programme. This study’s findings indicate that PI’s understanding and practice need re-evaluation to dispel myths that pathologise rural parents’ involvement in education. Moreover, they suggest that a successful PI is characterised by a collaborative approach that includes multiple stakeholders and takes a ‘village approach’ that considers the communal features of rural communities, particularly in South Africa. The study also illustrates how adopting modern communication tools could transform PI. Ultimately, this paper offers a positive perspective on PI in rural settings, which have been characterised by a lack of parental involvement emanating from multiple socio-economic complexities. The findings push educational practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to reimagine rural parents’ identities and involvement in children’s education.

The pervasive influence of science and technology globally necessitates thoroughly examining its impact on education systems as policymakers face the daunting task of recalibrating educational frameworks for contemporary professional requirements. These changes affect learning, teaching and institutional operations, with innovation becoming a cornerstone of educational reform. This study applies a qualitative comparative document analysis within an interpretivist paradigm to delve into the ramifications of the modern wave of globalisation, fuelled by scientific and technological advancements, on the foundation phase (FP) education policies of the countries aligned with the intergovernmental organisation called BRICS. Data was gathered from policy documents, curricula and academic literature. The analysis focused on identifying science and technology integration patterns into the FP curricula in these countries. Findings reveal distinct national approaches to incorporating science and technology in early education. Brazil emphasises digital literacy through its BNCC policy, while China integrates robotics and AI from the early years. Russia and India have introduced computational thinking in primary education, and South Africa is piloting coding and robotics in the foundation phase. Though diverse approaches are followed, these reforms highlight a shared recognition of the need to cultivate creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving from a young age. The study sheds light on the transformative potential of science and technology in reshaping educational paradigms in the BRICS countries. By highlighting the complex factors involved, the study advances the scholarly discourse. It offers pragmatic insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to navigate the complexities of educational reform in an increasingly technologically driven world. The study advocates ongoing comparative analyses to glean insights and identify best practices conducive to fostering educational excellence amid the evolving technological landscape.

This comparative study between Wales and England was undertaken to better understand what influences or drives the professed aims for outdoor provision of early years teachers; specifically the extent to which professed aims reflect the research-based literature common to both countries, and/or statutory curricular, which differs in each country. The research gathered quantitative and qualitative data through an online survey. Participants were teachers of children aged four to five years working in the respective country’s University partnership schools. Partnership schools are those who work with the University to train teachers. The findings suggest Welsh teachers aim and plan to use their outdoor spaces explicitly for curriculum-related learning more so than their English counterparts who appear not to identify such specific curriculum-related learning outcomes but to emphasise personal/social/dispositional aspects of development for young children when outside. This research indicates how the divergence of education-related policy and curriculum appears to have impacted upon the way practitioners express their aims for outdoor learning in England and Wales. The values underpinning the relative curricular documentation appear to emerge in the intended practice of early years teachers in both countries. The values underpinning the academic discourse related to provision for outdoor activity is much less prominent in the responses to the surveys from English and Welsh teachers.

Background: As technology today is pervasive, this study seeks to examine how technological changes influence Foundation Phase learners, specifically the impact of technology on teaching and learning. Aim: This study establishes professional perspectives of technology-based teaching and learning (TBTL) in the Foundation Phase from the vantage point of two district officials from the Gauteng Department of Education. Setting: This study was set in a chosen district in the Gauteng province because the environment was identified as data rich, which implies that the participants were able to share information based on the large number of Foundation Phase schools that they service. Methods: Qualitative case study methods such as interviews, opinion pieces and field notes from district officials servicing Foundation Phase schools were examined through the theoretical lens of the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge model. Results: The data gathered proved worthwhile in presenting the perspectives of TBTL in the Foundation Phase from one district in South Africa with regard to the benefits, barriers and gaps thereof. Conclusion: Implications for technological infrastructure, a Foundation Phase TBTL policy framework, teacher preparation training and in-service training, and support in finding appropriate content were given.

The escalating ecological crisis demands a rethinking of early childhood education, particularly within South Africa’s Foundation phase. This paper presents a conceptual analysis that draws on Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, eco-pedagogy, and play-based learning theories to examine the absence of eco-pedagogical practices in current curricula. Despite the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) including elements of environmental awareness, its treatment remains largely fact-based and disconnected from learners’ lived experiences. We argue that this approach reinforces a “banking” education model, limiting opportunities for children to develop ecological consciousness and agency. As a theoretical contribution, this paper proposes a framework for embedding play-based eco-pedagogy within the constraints of CAPS by: (a) integrating experiential activities such as nature walks, gardening, and environmental storytelling into life skills; (b) using guided play to link ecological concepts with literacy and numeracy outcomes; and (c) encouraging teachers to adopt dialogical, inquiry-driven practices that connect classroom content with local environmental realities. By situating eco-literacy at the intersection of play, critical pedagogy, and social justice, this paper outlines a transformative approach to early childhood education. The contribution is conceptual and practical: it provides a theoretical rationale for eco-pedagogy in the foundation phase. It illustrates how play can be a pedagogical vehicle for nurturing young learners’ capacity to engage with ecological and social challenges critically.

Children in their childhood and teenage years can acquire either healthy or unhealthy lifestyles. Without proper guidance, unhealthy lifestyles (e.g. risk-taking, substance abuse, poor family planning) may negatively affect their psychosexual development (i.e. ability to make healthier sexual choices). Male and female teachers can be role models for learners to acquire healthy sexual lifestyles. Historically, the Foundation Phase (FP) has been a highly feminine teaching space. Lately, however, the space has seen an increasing presence and participation of FP male teachers. This paper shares FP male teachers’ reflections in teaching comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) content within the Life Skills curriculum in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Five FP male teachers were engaged in a focus group conversation; data were thematically analysed, underpinned by a feminist post-structural lens. Although the teachers reported a restriction of FP male teachers in teaching CSE-related content, they also indicated that learners showed increased self-exposure to CSE-related content. To counter the censorship of FP male teachers in teaching CSE-related content, the study recommends explicit incorporation of feminist pedagogies to enable FP male teachers to be part of the delivery of SE content as equal stakeholders.   

Men’s participation in feminine professions such as teaching in children’s formative years in the Foundation Phase (FP) has opened possibilities for researching and rethinking tenets linked to education, disrupting images of stoicism and power surrounding masculinities. This paper reports on a qualitative participatory visual methodological study that explored six male FP teachers’ conceptualisation and practices of care in their schooling environment and how these influence their everyday lives. Using participatory visual method collaborative collage to generate data, results show that male FP teachers’ caregiving approaches, described as “Tenda-love”, challenge traditional masculinities by prioritising emotional connection, trust-building and non-violent discipline over authoritative control. However, despite their commitment to nurturing young learners, these teachers face societal scrutiny, gendered scepticism and assumptions that question their suitability for early childhood education. Their narratives highlight the tensions they navigate in a profession historically associated with femininity, shedding light on the broader implications for gender inclusivity in education. The findings call for the reimagining of masculinities in education, where men in caregiving roles are valued and supported rather than scrutinised and marginalised. Moreover, it further calls for teacher education programmes to actively promote gender-inclusive pedagogies that validate and encourage diverse expressions of care. La participación de los hombres en profesiones tradicionalmente femeninas, como la docencia en la Fase Básica (FP), ha abierto posibilidades para repensar los principios educativos y las imágenes de estoicismo y poder asociadas a las masculinidades. Este artículo presenta un estudio cualitativo, participativo y visual que explora las conceptualizaciones y prácticas de cuidado de seis profesores varones en su entorno escolar, y cómo estas influyen en su vida cotidiana. A través de un método visual participativo basado en collages colaborativos, los resultados muestran que los enfoques de cuidado de los profesores de FP, descritos como «Tenda-amor», desafían las masculinidades tradicionales al priorizar la conexión emocional, la confianza y la disciplina no violenta frente al control autoritario. No obstante, estos maestros enfrentan el escrutinio social, el escepticismo de género y suposiciones que cuestionan su idoneidad para la educación infantil. Sus relatos revelan las tensiones de trabajar en una profesión históricamente feminizada y evidencian la necesidad de incorporar la perspectiva de género en la educación. Los hallazgos reclaman resignificar las masculinidades en la docencia, valorando y apoyando a los hombres en roles de cuidado, y promoviendo en la formación docente pedagogías inclusivas que validen diversas expresiones del cuidado.

The curriculum leaders in the infancy phase of schooling are challenged. They engage in mammoth tasks that lead to confusion as to whether they are level one educators or curriculum heads in terms of their daily functions. Recent research studies demonstrate that many primary schools’ performance is questionable in the Foundation Phase in areas such as reading comprehension and numeracy. Such anomalies could be related to the inefficiency of departmental heads in the phase. This article investigated the underlying dichotomy that exists for Foundation Phase departmental heads. Using a qualitative approach, data was generated from selected primary schools in South Africa. The findings reveal that it is common among Foundation Phase departmental heads to concentrate much on classroom teaching and learning activities and lag on management functions because they lack effective assistance. The study recommends that workable remedies ranging from review of personnel administration management duties for departmental heads to the provision of education assistants (EA’s) can provide long-lasting solutions.

This interpretive study documents experiences of teachers regarding the impact of parental participation on the learning process of Foundation Phase learners during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The period investigated stretched from the “hard” lockdown in South Africa instituted on 26 March 2020, until the reopening of the physical classroom for Foundation Phase learners on 24 August 2020. A qualitative approach was taken to generate data from participants who taught Grade 1 classes during 2020, using a self-constructed questionnaire with openand closed-ended items. The study population was localised to the Mangaung municipal area in the Free State, South Africa. The theoretical framework of socio-constructivism informed the inquiry. The key elements in this learning theory are the learners, curriculum, teachers and society. During the mentioned period, learners were deprived of the two key inputs of teachers and society, leading to an intensified dependency on parental involvement as a source of guidance. The questionnaire afforded teacher respondents the opportunity to voice their concerns, frustrations, successes and recommendations for future management of similar situations. Coding of the responses identified the theme of communication to emerge. Further thematic analysis refined the findings to indicate that teachers deemed parental involvement essential in i) providing technological support for their children; and ii) interpreting the tasks set for their Grade 1 learners. Barriers to effective communication as perceived by teachers were i) the language barrier where parents were unable to speak the language of learning and teaching of the school; ii) the digital divide posed by parents without effective digital support; and iii) the schooling level of parents who could not interpret the assignments for their children. The recommendation is that going forward, i) parents should have access to and embrace technological advances to support their children’s learning; ii) themselves practice a learning culture at home, and iii) model positive values to their children by active involvement in their learning.

This study aims to determine mathematics anxiety among foundation-phase student teachers. The method used in this study is a quantitative research approach. Data for the study was collected using a closed questionnaire, which linked to mathematics anxiety scales adapted from Betz. Forty-seven foundation-phase mathematics student teachers participated in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select the sample for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine the mathematics anxiety levels of the student teachers. The differences in anxiety levels in mathematics between male and female foundation-phase student teachers were tested using a one-sample t-test. The findings of the study revealed that many of the students were nervous about making a mistake anytime they were doing mathematics; half of the respondents were always worried that they did not know enough mathematics to do well in future mathematics courses. In addition, most of the student teachers had moderate mathematics anxiety, while one-third had low and very few students had high levels of mathematics anxiety. A t-test showed significant difference between male and female students mathematics anxiety, with female student teachers showing lower mathematics anxiety than the male student teachers. These results showed that student teachers experience varying levels of mathematics anxiety, which impacts on their understanding in mathematics and is a barrier to learning mathematics. Therefore, this study suggests that there should be an introduction of mathematics intervention such as computer software for learning mathematics which can assist and motivate the students to learn mathematics.