Education experts highlight need for collaborative effort to improve literacy rates

Education expert, Mary Metcalfe, has stressed the importance of consistent exposure to reading and print materials beyond the classroom to develop children’s literacy skills.

Metcalfe’s remarks on the importance of reading among children come as the world marks International Literacy Day today.

“Even in the foundation phase, where learning to engage with print is probably a good a third to a half of the curriculum, children need constant exposure to the concept of how books can be used for storytelling, for sharing information, and how important print is,” said Metcalfe.

Her remarks come amid ongoing concern over South Africa’s literacy levels. According to the 2030 Reading Panel report, approximately 80% of Grade 3 learners in South Africa are unable to read for meaning in any language.

Further findings from the 2022 South African Systemic Evaluation (SASE) show that only 20% of Grade 3 learners read at grade level in their home language, while nearly 70% of Grade 6 learners lack grade-level reading skills in either Afrikaans or English.

Metcalfe emphasized that literacy development is a shared responsibility between schools and families. She noted that regular interaction with print materials at home is essential for nurturing confident, capable readers.

Education and Gender Based Violence (GBV) activist, Dimakatso Mamello, says it’s important to recognise the Department of Basic Education’s efforts to improve literacy in schools, especially since there is a new policy that aims to address the challenges with mother tongue teaching and learning.

Mamello says improving reading comprehension, especially in learners’ mother tongues, is critical, not only for literacy itself but also for success in all other subjects.

She called on parents, educators, policymakers, and education advocates to work together in identifying the root causes of the literacy challenges and developing practical solutions to improve reading outcomes.

Earlier today, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, launched the official 2024 #ThriveByFive Index report, a national assessment conducted every three years to evaluate the school readiness of four-year-old’s across the country.

“Literacy begins long before a child enters Grade 1; it starts in the preschool years, in the way a child explores writing, the stories they are exposed to, and their early attempts at communication,” said Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, at the unveiling of the… pic.twitter.com/RSnN6qUpGf

— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) September 8, 2025