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President Cyril Ramaphosa: Picture: The Presidency
President Cyril Ramaphosa has raised the grim situation of South African pupils dropping out of school before matric, including Grade 3 pupils who cannot read, saying effective early learning is the best investment in the country’s future.
While the country achieved a record matriculation pass rate of 87% last year, a 2030 Reading Panel, which was set up to look into early-grade level reading skills, released a report showing that 80% of Grade 3 pupils cannot read for meaning in any language, including their home language.
The report noted that 81% of Grade 4 pupils struggle with reading comprehension in any language.
Only 20% of Grade 3 pupils meet the required reading standards for their grade level; 3% demonstrate advanced reading comprehension and independent learning abilities; and 17% possess the expected foundational knowledge and skills.
Similarly, stark findings were revealed in a study that surveyed Trends in International Mathematics and Science capabilities in Grades 4 and 8.
The latest international study, covering 54 countries, found that South African children ranked last in an assessment of mathematics and science.
According to the Trends in International Mathematics and Science study released this week, South African Grade 5s scored an average of 362 points in mathematics in 2023. They lagged behind countries such as Morocco, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
This marks a decline from the 374 points achieved in 2019.
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In his weekly newsletter, From the Desk of the President, on Monday, Ramaphosa said that while the historic matric pass rate is a welcome sign that efforts to transform the country’s education system are bearing fruit, there are concerns that need to be addressed.
“Too many pupils drop out of school before writing matric and others struggle to get good marks, in part because they do not get the grounding they need in the early learning years. Mastering basic skills in reading and maths at foundation level often determines how a learner will perform later in school and beyond.
“That is why the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla held in Gauteng last week focused on expanding Early Childhood Development (ECD) and improving numeracy and early grade reading,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa noted that one of the most damaging effects of “Bantu Education was the deliberate neglect of black children when it came to the provision of foundation years learning.”
“One study published in 1992 found that during apartheid, only 6% of black children had access to quality ECD programmes, compared to one-third of all white children.
“We have spent the last 30 years trying to correct this. This effort has now received greater impetus with the passage of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act. This Act makes Grade R, the reception year before Grade 1, compulsory,” Ramaphosa said.
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Ramaphosa added that the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla discussed how to realign the existing education curriculum to strengthen foundational learning, including ongoing assessments, scaling up teacher training, and expanding the provision of ECD learning and teacher support material.
“In addition to negatively impacting future learning, weaknesses in early literacy and numeracy narrow the career options that learners will have later in life”
The president also said investing in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education is key to economic growth, job creation, productivity, and competitiveness.
“The efforts of the Department of Basic Education to strengthen the provision of technical and vocational pathways to learners in high school are therefore to be welcomed.
“The World Bank’s recent South Africa Economic Update pointed to basic education as a key enabler of inclusive growth in South Africa. It highlighted a set of potential reforms, including prioritising foundational years and focusing on building numeracy and literacy capabilities,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa added that better educational outcomes in basic education are linked to broader social and economic development.
“Education is a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty, to uplift individuals and communities, and to bringing about a more equitable society.
“As was evident from the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, all stakeholders in the education space are committed to prioritising foundational learning as the most effective means to enable young South Africans to succeed and thrive far into the future,” Ramaphosa said.
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