South African Pupils’ Reading Scores Decline, Landing SA in Last Place Behind 57 Countries in Global Test

• South African Grade 4 learners came in last place out of 57 countries in an international reading assessment
• The PRILS assesses if children read for meaning, and SA's result showed that 81% of Grade 4 pupils didn't understand what they read
• The Covid-19 pandemic greatly impacted SA's reading crisis because learners missed 155 days of vital face-to-face learning

PRETORIA - The Department of Basic Education has released the results of an international reading assessment, and the results are a sobering indictment of SA's literacy crisis.

SA pupils score 288 in international reading assessment, ranking last out of 57 countries

South African pupils came dead last out of 57 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

Pupils achieved an average score of 288 in the 2021 study, a 32-point drop from SA's 2016 score of 320 and substantially lower than the international average of 500.

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According to TimesLIVE, the multi-lingual assessment was conducted by 12 462 Grade 4 learners worldwide and aimed to test if children read for meaning.

SA results mean 81% of Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning.

Covid-19 pandemic deepened SA's reading crisis

Each country was given a reading comprehension passage based on the previous performances. The assessments were grouped into easy, medium and difficult passages.

South Africa's passages were 70% easy.

SA's dismal performance can also be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent hard lockdown. Because schools were shut down to decrease the spread of the virus, learners missed 155 days of crucial in-person learning.

SA's female Grade 4 learners score higher than male counterparts

In addition to SA's low score, the country also had the highest gender gaps, with boys scoring 260 while girls scored 317 points.

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Studies have shown that learners who struggle with literacy are more likely to drop out of school as the gap between reading skills and the curriculum widens, BusinessDay reported.

South Africans are alarmed by the depth of SA's reading crisis

Below are some comments:

@MalbongweB criticised:

"Not surprising teachers are not teaching anymore they just give homework."

@chad_vanwyk slammed:

"@MYANC is proud to present SA with these results. Unfortunately, it's international, and they can't just lower the pass grade like they normally do."

@gregmfell said:

"Scary numbers and facts."

UCT’s quality education helps land varsity title of best African university in world university rankings

In an education-related story, Briefly News reported that the University of Cape Town (UCT) has reprised its title as the best university on the African continent.

The Centre for World University Rankings released its 2023 list, which placed the prestigious university on the 267th spot in the global rankings.

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UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola says the ranking, which places the institution in the top 1.4% of global institutions, can be attributed to UCT's quality of education, among other things, SABC News reported.

Source: Briefly News