We found out this week that 81% of South African grade 4 pupils could not read for meaning in any language, the highest percentage of all 57 participating countries and regions in the study.
In 2008, then-minister of education Naledi Pandor gazetted the Foundation For Learning programme and listed the “minimum expectations for literacy and numeracy in grades 1-3”, including specified time for reading per school day; the minimum set of resources that every teacher needs for literacy and numeracy; and said: “All primary school learners will undergo annual national assessments in literacy and numeracy, using standardised tests, to measure progress towards achievement of set targets.
We were shocked to learn that the average Brazilian grade 4 child in 2021 was three grade levels ahead of their South African equivalent in 2021. Where 19% of our pupils could read, 61% of Brazilian children could do so. Like South Africa, Brazil is a middle-income country with high inequality.
Now more than ever we need collaborative efforts that can be scaled up. We need funding that is dedicated to this intervention from the government and private sector. To avoid a lost generation we need to act with speed. We have a generational catastrophe on our hands, and we have strong evidence of what can be done to teach children to read.
What we need is a serious social compact on foundation phase schooling based on real compromises and a programme of systemic reform, led from the centre of government. Yes, it will require a plan, and yes it will require political will, but as the 2030 Reading Panel members, we cannot think of a better use of our country’s resources than ensuring that every child learns to read for meaning by age 10 by 2030. The time to act is now.
Authored by the 2030 Reading Panel: Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka , commissioner André Gaum, Bobby Godsell, Colin Coleman, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Noncedo Madubedube, Nangamso Mtsatse, Prof Vuyokazi Nomlomo, Prof Sizwe Mabizela, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Prof Michael Sachs, Judy Sikuza, Elinor Sisulu and Prof Nic Spaull
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Akamai slaps South African non-profit news website with DMCA takedown noticeGroundUp has received an instruction from its hosting provider Linode, now owned by Akamai, to remove an article following a fake copyright takedown notice.
Read more »
Great news for South African businessesGrowth opportunities are available for South African companies which target the right markets and promote themselves on a consistent basis.
Read more »
Pick n Pay offers South African families R10 million of free groceriesPick n Pay has announced that it will randomly select one winner from every store nationwide every day until 18 June. More than 2 700 winners have already received a free shop valued at a combined total of R1.6 million. A total of R10 million worth of free groceries is yet to be gifted.
Read more »
Read the writing on the wall: we face a generational catastropheWe found out this week that 81% of South African grade 4 pupils could not read for meaning in any language, the highest percentage of all 57 participating countries and regions in the study.
Read more »
SAHRC concerned about the decline in SA literacyThe South African Human Rights Commission says it's concerned about this alarming trend.
Read more »