In South Africa, English has become the language of aspiration. It is the language parents request when enrolling their children, the language schools insist on “as early as possible,” and the language broadly associated with opportunity, mobility and socio-economic advancement. Yet in our pursuit of English, we have built an education system that repeatedly sacrifices comprehension at the altar of aspiration.
It is not that parents are misguided in their desire for English, but rather that a dangerous assumption has been peddled: Early exposure to English guarantees academic success. The evidence, however, contradicts this.
The literacy crisis in South Africa is well-documented. The 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that 81 % of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in any language, leaving only 19 % of ten-year-olds able to fully comprehend written texts. In absolute terms, of roughly 1.1 million Grade 4 learners, over 900 000 struggle to make sense of what they read. According to Nic Spaull (2023), South Africa scored 288 on the PIRLS literacy scale, far below the international average of 500, effectively representing a loss of nearly a full year of learning since 2016.
This problem does not end in the early grades. Underdeveloped reading skills have a compounding effect, with around 70 % of Grade 6 learners unable to read at grade level in their language of instruction. Children who lack a solid grasp of language struggle to learn, and being taught in a language they do not fully understand often leads to confusion, or worse, complete disengagement from learning. By the time English becomes the language of instruction in Grade 4, many children still cannot read for meaning in any language, leaving them unprepared for the curriculum ahead.
There are signs of policy response. Under Minister Siviwe Gwarube, the Department of Basic Education has prioritised foundational learning and early reading for meaning. Policy statements, strategic documents and public addresses emphasise Grades 1 to 3 literacy and suggest a willingness to reconsider entrenched assumptions about language sequencing in education.
Several international comparative studies underscore the importance of sequencing. In Vietnam, children initially develop reading and reasoning skills in Vietnamese before introducing English. In Tanzania, Kiswahili-first instruction enhances comprehension and learner confidence prior to English introduction. Ethiopia has allowed regional instruction in local languages, leading to measurable improvements in early literacy. Similarly, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India, children who establish proficiency in their mother tongue acquire English with greater ease than those introduced prematurely.
The pattern is clear: Strong first-language literacy develops cognitive skills, comprehension and academic confidence. Children who build these foundations are far better equipped to acquire additional languages later, including English. Conversely, introducing English too early often undermines these foundations, creating gaps that can take years to close. UNESCO research indicates that children who develop literacy in their mother tongue are roughly 30 % more likely to read with understanding in subsequent years.
Yet currently in South Africa, English is often introduced not when it best supports learning, but when it soothes adult anxiety. The outcome is that learners flounder across all subjects, because all learning is mediated through language.
International Mother Language Day should provoke reflection on this issue: Aspiration in lieu of evidence-based pedagogy is not ambition, it is shortsightedness.
Children don’t need speed; they need substance in their learning. And those are not the same thing.
