Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube says teaching learners in their mother tongue could be the solution to the literacy crisis among some of South Africa's school children

Update@Noon

Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube says the solution to the literacy crisis among South Africa's school children is to teach them in their mother tongue. A 2021 study by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study found that 81% of South African Grade 4 learners struggle to read for comprehension at age 10. Gwarube says there needs to be redress in the system as the constitution guarantees the right to education in the mother tongue, yet that right has not been realised for millions of South Africans. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Gwarube, following her address at the Heritage Day commemoration in Johannesburg.