By Kwedu News
Recent results of an international study reveals that 81% of South African children between the ages of nine and 10 face reading challenges.
The periodic study, dubbed the Progress in International Reading Literacy, conducted in 2021, tested over 400 000 students globally but only three African countries took part, including Egypt and Morocco.
The southern African country ranked last of the 57 countries that took part.
It scored 288 points of an international average of 500, while another African country, Egypt, came second last with 378 points.
In a report by BBC News’s Adam Durbin, South Africa’s Education Minister, Angie Motshekga is said to have blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and historical injustices of the apartheid system for the poor results.
“Describing the results as ‘disappointingly low’, Angie Motshekga also said the country’s education system was faced with significant historical challenges, including poverty, inequality and inadequate infrastructure,” reads the report.
Literacy among South African children dropped by 3% as the study reports that in 2016 illiteracy was 78% compared to 81% recently.
“The study showed that 81% of South African children could not read for comprehension in any of the country’s 11 official languages.
“Based on tests taken every five years at the end of the school year, the new study places countries in a global education league table.
“Singapore secured top spot in the rankings with an average score of 587,” Durbin reports.
The assessments focuses on monitoring trends in literacy and reading to understand in children between the ages of nine and 10.
Accross all the assessed countries, in terms of gender, girls were ahead of boys in terms of reading.
Kwedu Classics
Your story our story
