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%.
It is for this reason that Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has mobilised the public to sign a petition for Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to reign from her duties.
In a statement, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has shared:
The report made it clear that Covid-19 had a direct impact on the performance of South African learners.
The research for this study was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools all over the world had to close for a specific period of time.
“Most learners in South African schools missed at least three-quarters of a school year over the course of 2020 and 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns, school closures, and rotational timetables that were introduced to maintain social distancing in classrooms,” revealed Stellenbosch University researchers.
Basic Education spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga said Maimane’s amnesia is shocking and very disappointing.
In 2020, Maimane established a petition for schools to remain closed against Motshekga and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mhlanga has pointed out that the politician is inconsistent, ignorant, and stands for nothing, further labeling him as a hopeless narcissist who seeks to undermine and mislead South Africans.
The Education Department has also highlighted that it is such people who contributed to the 70% of learning losses that learners suffered during the pandemic, which has a direct relation with how learners performed in the 2021 PIRLS.
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.
It also encourages learners to read for pleasure and provides them with access to books and reading materials.
