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The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613882760036352 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | McCallum, Jessica Joy |
| author2 | Adams, Ubanesia |
| author_browse | Adams, Ubanesia McCallum, Jessica Joy |
| author_facet | Adams, Ubanesia McCallum, Jessica Joy |
| author_sort | McCallum, Jessica Joy |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132617 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:12.690Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132617 The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa McCallum, Jessica Joy Adams, Ubanesia Steenekamp, Cindy Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Literacy -- South Africa Literacy programs -- South Africa Reading -- South Africa Education -- South Africa Literacy -- South Africa Education and state -- Government policy -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. McCallum, J. J. 2025. The Need to Read: Literacy Rates and Literacy Interventions in South Africa. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/541dce99-65be-4b6d-8e53-d9dc65f40873 South Africa is facing a growing literacy crisis. International benchmarking assessments such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) consistently highlight that a significant proportion of South African children cannot read for meaning. Literacy remains an area of critical focus for policy makers and educational stakeholders as it is a foundational skill essential for academic success and socio-economic development. Since the 1994 democratic transition, numerous literacy interventions have been conceptualised and implemented as an attempt to address the crisis. However, despite the decades of policy efforts, national reading outcomes remain critical low. Undoubtedly extensive research has explored the factors contributing to poor literacy levels – such as inadequate teacher training, resource disparities, and socio-economic challenges- previous work has failed to assess whether national literacy interventions adequately reflect these underlying conditions. Ultimately this study seeks to discuss this gap by examining the extent to which government-led literacy programs align with the key antecedent conditions of low literacy identified in research. Using the Antecedent-Target- Measurement (ATM) framework, a form of theory-based evaluation, this study assesses the relationship between the theoretical understanding of literacy challenged identified from literacy research and the objectives embedded within national literacy interventions. A qualitative research design was employed, including policy analysis and document review methodologies to examine government literacy programs. The findings highlight that while many antecedent conditions identified in the literature are acknowledged in policy interventions, critical nuances-such as differentiated teacher development strategies and targeted early-grade literacy support- are often insufficiently addressed. This relationship between research insights and intervention objectives may partially explain the continued literacy crisis despite persistent reform efforts. This study contributes to the growing body of educational research by bridging the gap between theory and practice, offering a more nuanced understanding of the challenges in implementing effective literacy interventions. Ultimately, the findings highlight the need for evidence-based literacy interventions that integrate both theoretical insights and practical considerations to improve literacy outcomes in South Africa. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar nie. Masters 2025-06-11T14:13:31Z 2025-06-11T14:13:31Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132617 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 128 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Literacy -- South Africa Literacy programs -- South Africa Reading -- South Africa Education -- South Africa Literacy -- South Africa Education and state -- Government policy -- South Africa UCTD McCallum, Jessica Joy The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa |
| title | The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa |
| title_full | The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa |
| title_short | The need to read: literacy rates and literacy interventions in South Africa |
| title_sort | need to read literacy rates and literacy interventions in south africa |
| topic | Literacy -- South Africa Literacy programs -- South Africa Reading -- South Africa Education -- South Africa Literacy -- South Africa Education and state -- Government policy -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132617 |
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