23/06/2026
70% of South African children in Grade 1β3 can't read at grade level in their own home language. That's not a typo. That's the new national reading survey.
A new Department of Basic Education survey of 27,800 learners across 710 schools nationally found that only 30% of learners in Grades 1 to 3 are reading at grade level in their home language. In some languages, up to 25% of Grade 3 learners cannot read a single word, while 15% scored zero in reading assessments.
This is exactly why phonics-based, structured reading support matters so much in the early years. Decoding sounds, blending letters, and building reading fluency before a child falls behind. These aren't "extras", they're the foundation everything else gets built on.
At Sound Start, this is the work we do every day. If your child is struggling with reading, or you just want to make sure they don't become a statistic in next year's survey, get in touch. We'd love to help.
Read the full article here: https://iol.co.za/news/education/2026-06-22-reading-crisis-shocks-sa-as-millions-of-children-struggle-with-basics/
With 70% of Grade 1 to 3 learners in South Africa unable to read at grade level, is the phonics method still being taught in classrooms?