The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the closure of schools and other educational institutions. This resulted in a downward spiral in the education sector, especially in the cognitive skill development of Grade R learners. Cognitive skills development in learners is critical because it creates the groundwork for information processing, language learning, simple reasoning, and problem-solving. Cognitive skill development is critical for understanding how children learn, use knowledge, make decisions, and interact with their environment. It is the mental process of acquiring information and comprehension via thought, experience, and sense. While researchers have highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on education and specifically on learners, there needs to be more empirical evidence on how the cognitive skills development of Grade R learners was affected. Therefore, this study focused on the cognitive skill development level of Grade R learners after the COVID-19 pandemic. Given this, the present study investigated the level of cognitive skill development of Grade R learners after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopted the quantitative research approach of a descriptive survey design. The study sample comprised 143 Grade R learners in the Motheo district. This study utilised the Level of Cognitive Skills Development Rating Scale as an instrument for data collection. Mean, standard deviation and t-tests of independent samples were used for data analysis. Findings show that the level of cognitive skill development of Grade R learners was above average (AA). The finding also revealed that the difference in the level of cognitive skill development of male and female Grade R learners was not statistically significant. It was concluded that the level of cognitive skill development of Grade R learners after COVID-19 is good. They could remember their names and perform various cognitive tasks. The study also concluded that gender is not a factor in determining the level of cognitive skill development of Grade R learners. This result could be accurate because of parents’ active participation in educating their children even during the lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is highly recommended that parents should be encouraged to continue to participate in their children's education to enhance their cognitive skills development.

Keywords: COVID-19, Pandemic, Cognitive Skills, Grade R Learners, Grade R Teachers.