In a startling revelation, a recent international study has discovered that eight out of 10 South African school children face difficulties in reading by the age of ten. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) assessed the reading abilities of 400,000 students from 57 countries worldwide in 2021. Shockingly, South Africa ranked last in the study, highlighting the urgent need for attention and improvement in the country’s education system.
COVID-19 blamed for South Africa’s poor performance
The study revealed that illiteracy rates among South African children have risen from 78 per cent in 2016 to a distressing 81 per cent. The country’s Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, attributed these discouraging results to the prolonged school closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. She also acknowledged the significant historical challenges faced by the education system, including poverty, inequality, and inadequate infrastructure.
Motshekga expressed disappointment over the low literacy levels, emphasising that reading instruction in many primary schools primarily focuses on oral performance, neglecting vital aspects such as reading comprehension and understanding written words.
“In many primary schools reading instruction often focuses solely on oral performance, neglecting reading comprehension and making sense of written words”, she said.
Watch: Poor state of education in South Africa as 81% of 10-year old children unable to read: Study
Three African nations were assessed
South Africa was among the three African countries, including Morocco and Egypt, that participated in the assessments monitoring literacy and reading comprehension among nine and ten-year-olds. The study, which evaluates countries every five years at the end of the school year, aims to create a global education league table.
Singapore tops the list with the highest score
The top-ranking country in the study was Singapore, with an impressive average score of 587. In contrast, South Africa lagged significantly behind, securing the last position with a meagre average score of 288, below Egypt, the second-to-last country, with an average score of 378. The scores are benchmarked against an international average of 500.
Although the study revealed an overall gender gap favouring girls in reading achievement across most assessed countries, it also indicated that this gap has narrowed in the most recent testing round.
Multiple factors have contributed to the educational crisis in South Africa, including a lack of suitable reading materials and inadequate infrastructure in schools.
