Make It Make Sense - International Children’s Day: Department Of Education To Target Children’s Screen Time

Guest: Mari Payne - Deputy Managing Director and Senior Director Education And Programmes Sesame Workshop International South Africa. The DBE told parliament it is developing national guidelines on screen time for children aged 2 to 6, marking South Africa’s first targeted intervention on children’s digital exposure. How will they enforce this? What’s your take on this… Referencing international research showing prolonged, non-educational screen exposure being linked to delays in language, reading cognition and fine motor control, the minister said these guidelines would aim to help protect the development of language, attention, memory and social skills. Should this conversation be centered around what healthy digital balance looks like in South African homes? - where screens are often intertwined with work, caregiving, and everyday realities, or because there are fewer safe places to play outside. Kaya 959