IDEA is a business that started to solve a crisis around Grade Seven to Nine science for girls across Africa. “In a country where four million people struggle to read and write, how do we remedy the situation?” asks Dr. Corrin Varady, CEO of ed-tech platform IDEA.
Speaking in light of International Literacy Day (ILD), he notes that rapidly improving these outcomes requires urgent interventions at school-levels, where emphasis must be placed on whether necessary baseline standards are being met as opposed to the relatively meaningless statistic of the matric pass rate.
So we've gone anywhere from early childhood development now right through to higher education and universities, and everything in between.
More Than 80% Of South African Learners Struggle To Read For Meaning
The 2023 Reading Panel Background Report highlights that efforts need to be directed predominantly towards training teachers to teach reading.
Compiled by the 2030 Reading Panel comprised of a group of leaders and researchers convened by former Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the report states that:
Unless teachers know how to teach reading and are equipped with the resources to do so, as well as the support and accountability mechanisms to reach the goal [of ensuring that all children learn to read for meaning by age 10 by 2030], this trajectory will remain unattainable.
Dr. Varady points out that while the report advocates for the retraining of the majority of Foundation Phase teachers and recruitment of new teachers who have been properly trained to teach reading, it does make note of the improvements in reading outcomes that have emerged in small trials where teachers receive regular in-classroom coaching from a verified expert.
South Africa's education system has previously been put under a microscope, following the release of a reading literacy study from 2021.
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2021 study revealed that 81% of South African Grade Four learners across all 11 official languages, cannot read for meaning, and five years ago the figure stood at 78%.
Dr. Varady adds, "But what does the 81% actually tell us? It tells us that we are not, we're not doing something, right. Obviously, it tells us that we're not preparing our students".
Our current generation of grade for learners who can't read for meaning will become unemployed citizens, when in our youth population and the labor market, and if that doesn't get people to move around and get industry to also understand that they have a role in that I'm not sure what will I think history plays a big role in in our literacy and numeracy rates.
It is for this reason that Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane mobilised the public to sign a petition for Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to reign from her duties, at the time of the study's release.
How Technology Can Help To Improve Literacy Rates In South Africa
Dr. Varady adds that with there being a disproportionate learner-to-teacher ratio in most classrooms, digital learning solutions could also be deployed amongst pupils to personalise their learning experiences and address issues as they arise.
This approach can contribute to establishing an equitable future for all pupils by closing the literacy gap faster while also improving their digital literacy and computer skills.
“Technology is the key if we are to action this year’s ILD theme of ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’,” concludes Dr. Varady.
Empowering South African youth In the South African context, the impact of information technology (IT) on driving sustainable growth is of utmost importance.
The country faces a high unemployment rate, and the effective use of technology can play a crucial role in creating new opportunities and fostering economic development.
By equipping our youth with digital skills and providing them with access to gain technological skills, we can help them to unleash their potential and enable them to actively participate in the digital economy.
What Is The Basic Education Lead To Read Campaign?
The Basic Education Lead to Read Campaign is an initiative by the South African government aimed at promoting a culture of reading in schools.
The campaign is targeted at learners in the foundation phase of schooling and seeks to improve literacy levels in South Africa, also encouraging learners to read for pleasure and provides them with access to books and reading materials.
