Change how the story ends. Because every child has the right to read.

South Africa is facing a profound literacy crisis. According to PIRLS 2021, 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in any language. By the time children are expected to move from learning to read to reading to learn, the majority are already behind. This is a systemic failure that denies millions of children the substance of their right to basic education.

The crisis begins in the early years, where many learners do not develop basic reading skills and fall further behind as they progress through school. Without the ability to read for meaning, learners struggle across all subjects, with the greatest impact felt in under resourced schools. The Right to Read campaign calls for clear, binding national standards to ensure every child has the support to learn to read, including time for reading, trained teachers, access to materials, and regular assessment.

The Right to Read campaign, led by the South African Human Rights Commission, aims to make early-grade literacy a national priority through legislative reform and the development of binding regulations for the first three grades.

These regulations should clarify the state's obligations in terms of teaching time, teacher training, quality learner and teacher support materials, and regular literacy testing to ensure that learners can read for meaning by age 10.