A startling new report has revealed 15% of grade 3 pupils cannot read a single word in their home language by the end of the school year, raising serious concerns about the state of early literacy in the country.
The findings, which come from an extensive national assessment, show pupils in Sepedi, Xitsonga and siSwati are particularly affected, with roughly a quarter in these language groups unable to meet basic reading benchmarks.
Education experts said the crisis reflects systemic weaknesses in teaching, policy and home support for literacy development.
The report has sparked a debate about who is ultimately responsible for the alarming literacy levels among young pupils.
Is it the parents, teachers or government? Or is it a combination of all three?
TimesLIVE
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