South Africa’s foundation phase of the education system is in fragile shape, with 81% of the 1.12 million Grade Four learners, aged between nine and 10, struggling to read for meaning.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) released its 2021 assessment results earlier this week, revealing that South Africa ranked well below the world average.

Following the release of these results, Nal’ibali, a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, has called for ‘all hands on deck’ to address the national literacy crisis.

Nal’ibali director Nqabakazi Gina says South Africa cannot rely on fragmented interventions and linear solutions to address a social problem. It is time that we learn from countries that have rapidly transformed their reading culture and are currently above the international benchmark on how they manage to get everyone on board and instil a vibrant reading culture.

“A common thread that can be drawn from countries that are doing better than us is that ‘reading is adopted as a social practice’; it is practised daily and driven by all social actors.

“Our response to this crisis should surpass the response and strategies adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

She believes all sectors of society have a critical role to play in nurturing reading as a daily culture, from parents and caregivers, to teachers, care workers, policy-makers, NGOs and churches.

AfriForum’s response

AfriForum says the Pirls results paint a dark picture of the quality of life and education in South Africa.

Alana Bailey, head of cultural affairs at AfriForum, says the comparison between the participating countries’ background information reveals the first danger signs about conditions in the country.

“According to the report, life expectancy in the country [South Africa] is the lowest of all the participating countries, namely 64 years on average. In contrast, the death rate of babies born alive is the highest of all, namely 26 deaths per thousand births. The other countries closest to this are Egypt and Azerbaijan, both with 17 deaths per thousand births.

“The study also shows that South Africa is one of five out of the 57 participating countries that spends the largest amount on education, namely an amount equal to 7% of its gross domestic product,” says Bailey.

The department’s priorities for this year were outlined by the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga.

“One of the key aspects will be to enhance school readiness by improving the quality of early childhood development.

“We will monitor literacy and comprehension through the systemic evaluation at the Grade Three level. We will also measure progress in foundational reading skills, such as letter recognition and reading fluency, which must be acquired in grades one–three to ensure meaningful reading by Grade Four,” she concludes.

Motshekga, says her department aims to equip teachers with the appropriate strategies to effectively teach reading for meaning.

During this week’s National Seminar on Reading Literacy held in Pretoria, Motshekga blamed the Covid-19 pandemic for causing severe disruptions in education and extended school closures.

“Sixty percent of teaching was lost in certain grades in 2020, and up to 50% was lost in 2021.

“These extended periods of lost instructional time were particularly critical for children in the early grades and those attending preschool, as they coincided with a crucial stage of their developmental journey,” says the minister.

Motshekga says it is important to note that the timing of the Pirls assessment in late 2021, after almost two years of disruption and before the return to regular school schedules, presented a significant challenge.

South Africa is one of only three African nations participating in Pirls, which is one of the world’s largest literacy monitoring programmes. The other two are Morocco and Egypt.

Globally, 400 000 learners were assessed across 57 countries after successfully collecting data during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“South Africa participates in the Pirls and in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) with an understanding that these studies establish a global standard for reading comprehension and that, as a developing country, we are still on a journey to reaching these international benchmarks,” she adds.