JOHANNESBURG - The state of reading in South Africa is a matter of deep concern.
This is indicated in the results of a literacy study done in 2021.
The fact that 81-percent of Grade 4 pupils in the country are unable to read for meaning in any language is worrying.
The South African Human Rights Commission says it's concerned about this alarming trend.
READ: Over 80% of 10-year-old South Africans battle to read: study
SAHRC André Gaum said, "this figure of 81-percent is also up from 78-percent in 2016."
"South Africa ranked last in the 43 countries that participated."
"[South Africa] experienced the largest decline of all the countries participating."
"The minister of education expressed her disappointment, she attributed it to the Covid-19 epidemic."