Curriculum Strengthening Initiative

Proteus Advisory partnered with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Save the Children to deliver a comprehensive costing study that would determine the financial feasibility of South Africa’s ambitious Curriculum Strengthening Initiative.

The Challenge

South Africa’s curriculum faced significant criticism for being overly ambitious and misaligned with learners’ needs, while failing to prioritize foundational competencies that drive academic success. In response, the DBE and partners launched a multi-phase Curriculum Strengthening Initiative. However, as the initiative moved toward implementation, a critical question emerged: Were the proposed changes financially feasible, scalable, and sustainable within existing budget constraints?

What We Delivered

Proteus Advisory (together with our partners on this project, DNA Economics) was engaged to provide evidence-based costing models that would empower strategic decision-making around curriculum implementation.

• Designed a comprehensive costing framework aligned with DBE’s implementation roadmap
• Analysed cost drivers across all components of the Curriculum Strengthening Initiative
• Modelled multiple rollout scenarios, including national and phased implementation pathways
• Delivered detailed cost comparisons of the revised curriculum model against existing funding baselines
• Produced a strategic costing report and policy brief to inform critical decisions at DBE and National Treasury level

Impact & Next Steps

The DBE and Save the Children are now using our findings to refine the Curriculum Strengthening Initiative and build stakeholder consensus across government. Our evidence-based approach has provided the financial clarity needed to move from vision to viable implementation. Proteus Advisory remains committed to supporting transformative reform in basic education and continues to offer strategic and analytical expertise to initiatives that strengthen learning outcomes in South Africa’s early grades.