30 November 2007
The Minister of Education Naledi Pandor announced today that she would be
gazetting a three-year 'foundation for learning' strategy in terms of the
National Education Policy Act that will involve the annual testing of all
children from grade 3.
Minister Pandor was responding to the release of the Progress in
International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 study that revealed that
South African learners cannot read at appropriate levels in grades 4 and 5.
"Poor performance in PIRLS indicates a need to intensify and review our
efforts at ensuring a proper foundation for learning," she said.
In January 2008 reading toolkits will be distributed to primary schools. The
toolkits will contain all the resources teachers need to teach reading in
Grades R and 1, including an Early Grade Reading Assessment tool (EGRA) to
assist teachers monitor the reading progress of their learners. Teachers will
also receive intensive training and the expert advice of curriculum
advisers.
In 2011 there will be a national assessment of the impact made by the
three-year programme.
Two provinces have taken the lead in implementing literacy and numeracy
strategies.
In the Western Cape all schools take part in provincial tests and for the
first time this year have been set targets for end-of-year achievement.
In Gauteng a new seven-year literacy strategy was launched this year. It is
a joint venture between the provincial department, the literacy
non-governmental agency, READ, which provides the teacher training, classroom
resources and consultant resources, and the Joint Education Trust which
provides external evaluation.
Both provincial initiatives are already beginning to show signs of
significant improvement in learning attainment.
The Minister of Education said: "Improving learning has received our focused
attention at every level of the education system. But not all provinces have
focussed strategies to teach reading and numeracy in the early grades. It is
time to declare war on the failure of foundational learning in our
schools."
Contact:
Lunga Ngqengelele
Ministerial Spokesperson
Tel: 012 312 5538
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za
Issued by: Ministry of Education
30 November 2007
