Why vision and hearing screenings are essential for South Africa's struggling learners

HEARING AND VISION: As South Africa grapples with a deepening education crisis, the authors state that a new study highlights the often-ignored significance of vision and hearing in shaping children’s learning experiences.

Every time literacy results for children in South Africa are released, we question why our children are struggling to read for meaning.

The reasons that are often cited are overcrowded classrooms, underperforming schools, teachers who are stretched beyond their limits, poor school leadership and families who are struggling to support their children's learning at home.

All these challenges are real. Research conducted by the Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) at the University of Johannesburg points to another issue that is often overlooked: can the child actually see and hear well enough to participate in the lesson?

Our CSDA study conducted in public schools around Johannesburg and Moutse in Limpopo found that 29% of children needed an eye and hearing assessment. This finding points to a significant but often overlooked gap in the way we identify some of the barriers that prevent children from learning. National data already tells us that South Africa has a serious challenge when it comes to children's learning outcomes, and the evidence around vision and hearing difficulties gives us another piece of the puzzle.

When problems with eyesight or hearing go undetected and untreated, they can affect how children participate in class, how they learn and even how they feel about themselves and their ability to keep up with their peers. These are therefore not simply health problems that sit somewhere outside the education system; they can directly shape a child's experience of school and their ability to benefit from the education they are receiving.

Identifying health problems that can affect children's ability to learn was recognised more than a decade ago through the Integrated School Health Policy, adopted in 2012. This joint policy by the Department of Health and Department of Education makes provision for routine health screenings at schools, including hearing, sight, weight, and general health. The reality, however, is that many children with hearing and vision impairments are still not being identified consistently. A major gap exists between policy intention and what is actually happening on the ground.

We see this not only with eye and hearing checks, but also when children's vaccinations are not up to date or when children who need psychosocial support are not referred for help. These may seem like separate issues, but they point to the same problem — if the services around a child are not connected, important needs can easily be missed.

Without eye and hearing assessments, early detection and intervention cannot occur. This compromises children's learning outcomes. Teachers are already working under enormous pressure and managing big classes.