By Mahlatse Mokgope
A recent report stipulates that 81% of learners in Grade 4 cannot read for meaning in any language. It is impossible to overstate the reading crisis facing South Africa.
An all-hands-on-deck approach is needed to combat the literacy crisis. On 24 June, the Right to Read campaign hosted a workshop at the Lebone Centre to discuss the barriers and pragmatic solutions. Cameron McConnachie, the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) Regional Director in Makhanda, hosted the workshop. Right to Read is proposing national regulations to combat the reading crisis. The workshop was attended by teachers, principals, after-school programme facilitators in the area, and staff from Rhodes University’s Education Department.
Attendees at the workshop vocalised learners’ socio-economic challenges in non-fee-paying schools, usually located in marginalised areas, and inefficient teacher training in universities as core problems fuelling the literacy crisis. One attendee stated that teachers in non-fee-paying schools deal with overcrowded classrooms, which creates a disruptive environment. Crowded classrooms also make it difficult for teachers to give specific attention to struggling learners. Another point is that some learners in marginalised areas live with extended family members who cannot assist them with schoolwork or reading after school to strengthen their comprehension abilities. The lack of classrooms and public libraries in township and rural areas is another barrier to promoting reading.
The Right to Read campaign is led by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and LRC. The campaign aims to reform legislation to make foundation-phase literacy teaching a national priority. Their mission is to make reading and writing a right in line with the Right to Basic Education enshrined in section 29 of the Constitution. The proposed reform is the enactment of the Foundation Phase Literacy Regulations.
The regulations, issued under Section 61(i) of the South African Schools Act of 1996, will ensure that all public and private schools with Grades R to 3 have the proper tools to teach learners how to read for meaning before reaching Grade 4. This includes the creation of minimum and uniform standards to encourage literacy. The aim is to establish national uniform standards that specify the qualifications for foundation phase teachers, adopt benchmarks and benchmark ranges for literacy skills, implement standardised national literacy assessments, provide effective literacy materials to every school, and set the minimum amount of time that teachers and learners must spend on literacy activities during the school day.
Right to Read is engaging local community stakeholders to make a national impact. These stakeholders include educators, other civil society organisations, and parents.
There might be scepticism about whether South Africa can regulate and legislate its way out of the literacy crisis. A report by Cameron McConnachie and Sipumelele Lucwaba from Funda Wande argues that the scattered and mixed-bag responses to the literacy crisis the State has been implementing over the years have been ineffective. Further, well-crafted regulations that create uniformity in how the situation is tackled nationwide have the potential for greater success. “Regulations are also needed to provide clarity to the state on its obligations in terms of delivery and budgeting”, the report states.
The Foundation Phase Literacy Regulations will provide a more straightforward path for teachers and the government to effectively provide teachers with the appropriate training, support, and materials.
The workshop made clear that there are no fast and singular solutions to this complex issue. It will require multiple interventions, national clarity, and local efforts to ensure that South Africa’s children can read for meaning before moving on from the Foundation Phase.
