While June is rightly celebrated as Youth Month in honour of the courageous youth of 1976, it also presents us with an opportunity to reflect on the challenges facing young South Africans today. Nearly 50 years later, many young people still struggle with poor access to quality education, overcrowded and under-resourced schools and low levels of literacy, particularly at foundational stages. The ability to read for meaning remains a challenge for many of them.

These challenges are worsened by the digital divide, which leaves many young people without the tools or connectivity needed to participate fully in modern education. Added to this are socio-economic pressures such as poverty, food insecurity, and unsafe or long journeys to school. As we commemorate Youth Month, we must also commit to dismantling these barriers and creating an environment where all young people can thrive.

This year we must be bold enough to acknowledge that there is no youth empowerment without literacy. The ability to read, write and understand is the foundation upon which all learning, critical thinking and active participation in society is built. An illiterate cohort of youth is unable to further their education, find meaningful employment and participate meaningfully in the country’s economic activities.  If we are serious about preparing the current youth to become future leaders, innovators and contributors to society, we need to address this as a matter of urgency. We often speak about youth unemployment, crime and inequality, but we rarely connect these to the literacy crisis in their early years of education. Unfortunately, this disconnect is costing us dearly and holding back the future of our youth.

But the situation above does not mean we should despair or lose hope. With the right measures and interventions, we can turn the situation around. Other countries have successfully tackled low reading levels by using proven strategies such as giving teachers proper training and support, setting clear reading targets and using regular assessments to help guide learning and track progress.

Peru, a country in South America, is a shining example we can learn from. Just over a decade ago, it faced a literacy crisis similar to what South Africa is experiencing today. But by setting ambitious national targets, investing heavily in teacher development and introducing simple, frequent literacy assessments, Peru dramatically improved reading outcomes in its primary schools. The key to this success was a strong political will, sustained investment and a firm commitment to making literacy the foundation of all learning. Peru’s rapid progress shows that real change is not only possible but is achievable when the right steps are taken and followed through with determination.

South Africa has several world-class literacy NGOs, passionate teachers and dedicated strategists. What we lack is coordinated will and large-scale determination to effect real change.

At the READ Group, we have spent more than four decades working side by side with teachers and learners in classrooms across South Africa. We know what makes a difference. We have witnessed how well-trained and supported teachers can ignite a lifelong love of reading in a child. We have seen how access to quality and engaging reading materials can awaken curiosity and joy. We have also witnessed the tremendous power of communities as champions of reading if they are thoroughly involved in literacy projects.

But this mammoth task cannot be carried out by READ and a handful of other committed NGOs alone. The scale of South Africa’s literacy crisis demands a united national effort. If we are to succeed, we need every sector of society ,such as government, business, labour, the academic fraternity, the media and all citizens to step forward and play their part. Literacy is the foundation of our children’s social and economic future; therefore we must act now to create that lasting legacy.

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