
81% of Grade 4 students are unable to read to comprehend, study reveals.
According to PIRLS data given by the Department of Basic Education on Tuesday, 81% of Grade 4 students were unable to read for meaning in any of South Africa’s 11 official languages in 2021.
The study indicates that the state of South African children’s reading levels has been poor for some time,
Point of View with Phemelo Motene spoke to Basic Education Department Director General, Mathanzima Mweli on the latest findings.
LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
It indicates that about eight out of ten kids need assistance finding and identifying explicitly stated facts in straightforward text.
The study, which evaluates reading proficiency, is carried out every five years in about 40 nations.
Watch as the DG of the DBE, Mr @HubertMweli, charts the way forward: https://t.co/iC4h0Ym484
— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) May 16, 2023
The Department of Education added that they had a sample of a total of 12 426 Grade 4 learners in 321 schools, and 9 317 Grade 6 learners in 253 schools were assessed.

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