Measuring what matters most.
Are South Africa's young children set up for success?

Important Note: The Thrive by Five Index (April 2022) originally reported stunting rates of 25% nationally, which used a definition of stunting that incorporated ‘mild stunting’.

The Thrive by Five Index stunting data has since been recalibrated to include only ‘moderate stunting’ and ‘severe stunting’, resulting in revised national stunting rates of 5.65% in children aged 50-59 months attending an Early Learning Programme in 2021. The recomputation of stunting statistics has had implications for many sections of the report. The original reports have been updated and we ask that you please use these August 2022 updated versions when quoting the Index.

What percentage of 4 to 5-year-old children in Early Learning Programmes in South Africa are thriving?

43% - Thrive by Five
These children are On Track in both growth and early learning
53% - Face Barriers to Thriving
These children are On Track for only one of either growth or early learning and are deemed to be at risk
4% - Face Significant Barriers to Thriving
These children are Not On Track for both growth and early learning domains and are deemed to be at high risk
45.7% - On Track for Early Learning
These children meet the learning standard and are able to do the tasks expected of children their age
26.3% - Falling Behind in Early Learning
These children are Falling Behind the standard and will need support in order to catch up with other children of their age
28% - Falling Far Behind in Early Learning
These children are Falling Far Behind the standard, need intensive intervention and are at risk of not catching up with their peers.
94.3% - Normal Height for Age
These children’s height is within the normal, expected range for age
5.7% - Stunted Growth
These children are short for their age likely as a result of chronic malnutrition and are at risk of not achieving their potential

Children who start school on track are more likely to stay on track and to lead healthy and productive lives.

The Thrive by Five Index is South Africa’s first nationally representative survey of preschool children. It provides authoritative data that will be used to galvanise action and drive change, to ensure that all children have the opportunity to thrive by five. The best way to shape a positive future for South Africa is to harness the full potential of every child.

We invite you to draw inspiration and insights from the data and use this to drive change wherever you have influence – your home, your place of work, your community and beyond.

About the Thrive by Five Index

The Thrive by Five Index is the largest survey of preschool child development ever undertaken in South Africa with the goal of establishing whether children attending Early Learning Programmes are developmentally on track for their age.

What Our Partners Say

The Thrive By Five Partnership

The Thrive by Five Index is a collaborative effort between the private, public, and non-profit sectors.