South Africa is facing a deepening literacy crisis, with new data revealing that seven out of every 10 pupils in Grades 1 to 3 are unable to read at the level expected for their age.
The findings emerge from a nationwide assessment conducted by the Department of Basic Education, which evaluated nearly 28,000 learners across more than 700 schools.
The results paint a worrying picture: only 30 percent of the pupils assessed met grade-level reading benchmarks, raising fresh concerns about the effectiveness of foundational literacy teaching methods, including phonics.
Education experts warn that the early grades are critical for developing reading skills, which form the basis for learning across all subjects. Learners who struggle to read in the foundation phase are more likely to fall behind academically as they progress through school.
The alarming results have also prompted some parents to take matters into their own hands, with many turning to home-based learning strategies and supplementary reading programmes to help their children develop basic literacy skills.
The findings have reignited calls for urgent reforms to strengthen early childhood and foundation phase education, improve teacher training and ensure that schools are adequately equipped to teach reading effectively.
Without swift and targeted interventions, experts warn that thousands of children could be deprived of one of the most essential skills needed to succeed in school and later in life.