Literacy | Importance of developing strong literacy skills
JOHANNESBURG - The recent celebration of World Read Aloud Day is a reminder of the fundamental role of literacy in South Africa.
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The nation faces a major obstacle in helping millions of children acquire solid core literacy skills.
The Head of Corporate Social Investment at Liberty, Noma Matjila discussed reading aloud with eNCA.
Matjila said, "[Celebrating World Read Aloud Day] is quite important because the fundamental of the crisis within the country, we've seen the PIRLS study that was done in 2021, South Africa actually rated below the median point of 500."
"The learners that participated there, they were ranking around 400-odd in terms or just below. So we were the only SADC country that participated but our average was way below."
"If you look at our environment, there is the complexity of 12 [official] languages that we currently have: 11 official [languages] and with [South African] Sign Language being added, so there is complexity there as well."
"But if you look at the debate that was articulated by the Department of Basic Education, is that we need to be fair in comparing like with like at times but it does not move us away from the fact that comparatively, when looking at international standards, to really compare to see the benchmark of where our kids are," Matjila said.
"So what that study did was to awaken us to the scourge to which we are going through."
"Kids are unable to read for meaning, in terms of understanding the comprehension hence now we're trying to help with these interventions of [encouraging] reading aloud."