Higher education minister sounds the alarm over high illiteracy level

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela said that South Africa is facing what he calls a “crisis of dignity” due to the country’s high illiteracy levels.

Manamela was speaking at an International Literacy Day event in Carletonville on Saturday, where he committed to launching a national literacy campaign. 

Manamela sounded the alarm over the rising number of functionally illiterate South Africans.

He highlighted the need for urgent intervention.

According to the 2030 reading panel report, eight out of ten Grade 3 learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning in any language, including their mother tongue.

Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that the legacy of Bantu education under apartheid continues to have a profound effect on literacy outcomes.

Manamela said that improving literacy requires investment at all age levels, as well as support for educators, through better resources and training.