The latest report from the 2030 Reading Panel could not have been timed better. Published a week after the cabinet rejected finance minister Enoch Godongwana’s proposed budget, it casts an unforgiving spotlight on SA’s literacy crisis as the government of national unity debates a new plan.
The report synthesises the latest research on the reading skills of SA’s primary schoolchildren, which are found wanting by every objective measure: the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study found 78% of grade 4 children could not read for meaning, while the 2022 SA Systemic Evaluation found only 20% of grade 3 learners were reading at or above grade level in their home language.
The reading panel also presents the latest evidence on the importance of mother tongue education in laying foundational literacy skills, makes the case for expanding early childhood education and emphasises that it is vital to equip teachers with the right skills and resources to get children reading proficiently.
These are all measures that are well recognised by the government and basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube has rightly emphasised that investing in the early years boosts human capital development and national productivity. What’s needed now is a solid budget to make these aspirations a reality.
But here’s the kicker: despite the government’s recognition of the issues, more than a third of children have access to early learning programmes. This means a significant portion of young children fall behind before they even start school, setting them up for a lifetime of struggle.
For instance, SA students, predictably, don’t exactly dazzle on the global stage. In the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study they rank last among the 59 participating countries. To make matters worse, SA has an unacceptably high dropout rate with only 60% of students of grade 1 actually making it to grade 12.
The government has made grandiose pronouncements, but it’s a drop in the bucket. The infrastructure remains woefully inadequate and more funding is desperately needed. Investing in early childhood learning is as economic sensible as it is a moral imperative.
“The formative years from birth to age five are critical for cognitive, emotional and social development,” Gwarube said at a recent breakfast discussion hosted by Investec. “Investments made during this stage yield the highest returns, affecting educational outcomes, economic productivity and societal wellbeing.”
We couldn’t agree more. According to research by James Heckman, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics, who is recognised for his groundbreaking research on early childhood, investing in early childhood could yield 7%-10% return per year.
The private sector’s involvement is welcome. Initiatives such as the Bana Pele early childhood development mass registration drive and the proposed infrastructure fund are crucial in filling the gaps left by public funding.
What’s needed now is a concerted effort from all sectors of society to ensure these programmes are not just pipe dreams but a funded reality. After all, every child deserves the joy of reading for pleasure and a school career that isn’t stymied by stumbling over the written word.
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