Latest news with #FundaUjabule
The Herald
23-06-2025
- General
- The Herald
A deep dive into the state of reading in SA
Despite the power of reading to unlock knowledge and opportunity, SA continues to face a national literacy crisis. A team of journalists from The Herald, Daily Dispatch and Sowetan dive into the challenges behind the statistics — from under-resourced schools and language barriers to the impact of poverty and technology. We also highlight the efforts of educators, communities, and reading champions working to turn the tide. Can SA build a culture of reading for all? UNDERSTANDING SA'S READING LANDSCAPE — Rochelle de Kock, The Herald editor TURNING THE PAGE | A Deep Dive into the state of Reading in South Africa Reporting by Nomazima Nkosi Video by Hughan Milborrow Produced by Kelly Adams-Milborrow In a cramped classroom meant for 30 children, 70 pupils squeeze in shoulder-to-shoulder, bright-eyed and eager to learn. By Nomazima Nkosi The Eastern Cape provincial government says it is making strides in addressing literacy challenges among schoolchildren ... By Lulamile Feni subbed guy At Dietrich Primary School in Schauderville, where cultures and languages from across Africa converge, ... Masinyusane is an isiXhosa word which means 'let us uplift each other', and that is exactly what the Nelson Mandela Bay ... Funda Ujabule School in Soweto has positioned itself as a leading example in the foundation phase of primary education ... In the heart of rural Limpopo, under the shade of a tree in the small village of Ga-Ipate, a quiet revolution in ... Rapidly expanding communities in Nelson Mandela Bay are placing increasing pressure on schools designed to accommodate ... Hlumelo Makunga, a 19-year-old Wits University student, is living proof that learning in one's mother tongue can be ... By Lulamile Feni Nomakwezi 'Kwesta' Dlali is not just a school principal; she is a passionate advocate for Mother Tongue-based Bilingual ... By Lulamile Feni A growing number of children across SA are struggling with reading and comprehension — a crisis that literacy ... When California-born teacher Janet Wolfertz first arrived in the small village of Viedgesville, she turned heads. as ... By Lulamile Feni SA's failure to invest meaningfully in early childhood development (ECD) is deepening the country's literacy crisis, ... By Koena Mashale Amid a sluggish government response, Astra Primary School started a grassroots literacy project that is transforming ... By Nomazima Nkosi — Mary Metcalfe, University of Johannesburg education expert A report by the 2030 Reading Panel, chaired by former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has laid bare the ... Thirty years into SA's democracy, it is deeply disturbing that thousands of children in the Eastern Cape, particularly ... By Dr Nontsikelelo Ndabeni and Dr Siziwe Dlepu The roadmap outlines four collective commitments to expand access to an additional 200,000 children per year, reaching ... By Siviwe Gwarube When half of SA's teachers are ready to leave the profession, not because of unruly pupils but because of toxic work ... By Dr Mzoli Osborn Voyiya As someone who battled to converse with my peers who attended predominantly black schools and were taught in isiXhosa, ... Access to books, libraries and reading role models can transform the literacy levels of SA's children By Xolisa Guzula Addressing SA's literacy challenge from the early years is fundamental to improving quality and efficiency throughout ... By Mary Metcalfe It has been widely reported that SA's grade 4 pupils cannot read with understanding in their home language and the ... By Dr Sonti Mokobane and Dr Sive Makeleni My own assessment is that we generally don't have a vision as a country when it comes to defining the society that we ... By Gugulethu Maqetuka BEYOND THE PAGE A nation at the crossroads of literacy Fast-growing communities pile pressure on Nelson Mandela Bay schools | Reporting by Nomazima Nkosi, Video by Hughan Milborrow, Produced by Kelly Adams-Milborrow Swamped teachers 'expected to perform miracles' | Reporting by Nomazima Nkosi, Video by Hughan Milborrow, Produced by Kelly Adams-Milborrow How an innovative literacy project is transforming young lives | Reporting by Nomazima Nkosi, Video by Hughan Milborrow, Produced by Kelly Adams-Milborrow Reading Champions shine a little light in tough Nelson Mandela Bay neighbourhood | Reporting by Nomazima Nkosi, Video by Hughan Milborrow, Produced by Kelly Adams-Milborrow This special report into the state of literacy, a collaborative effort by The Herald, Sowetan and Daily Dispatch, was made possible by the Henry Nxumalo Foundation
The Herald
09-06-2025
- General
- The Herald
Funda Ujabule leads way in foundation phase of primary education
Funda Ujabule School in Soweto has positioned itself as a leading example in the foundation phase of primary education and the development of literacy through mother-tongue languages. The public school, founded by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education in 2010, is pioneering new teaching methods combining technology, research and innovation to drive excellence. The UN Educational Scientific and Cultural (Unesco) has included Funda Ujabule's teaching model in its network of associated schools across the world. The teacher education process is a collaboration between academia and practice and includes UJ's Bachelor of Education students, who do practicals at the school. Dr Fikile Simelane of UJ's department of childhood education said when children start their literacy trajectory it must be in their mother tongue. 'When you look at oral language development, the components of language development is what we call phonology, vocabulary, morphology and syntax. 'They [children] come from home with those components. So, the language they bring for learning is a very strong source they bring into the classroom.' Simelane believes that children can better understand teaching concepts in their mother tongue before they can be translated to English. 'Teaching must be brought to their reality [in their] mother tongue. We start conceptualising and comprehension in our languages; it is called inference. We infer and bring in our background knowledge using our language. 'Reading at Funda is in a hierarchy form starting with oral language development in grade R, where the home language of a child is fully developed. 'Once the child is developed, they then move to alphabetic principle, which is about phonics, understanding the sound of your language.' Simelane said language was a strong tool for comprehension and that vocabulary served as a bridge for word recognition. 'It goes back to the teacher, teaching the children the vocabulary, the terminology of concepts within the classroom itself so that they are able to use that in their daily conversation.' The school's departmental head, Refilwe Ntsoane, said: 'We are committed to improving our children's literacy, from the foundation phase they are rooted in their mother tongue, which helps with comprehension. 'In grade 1 we are using the sandbox programme. It is a programme meant to improve literacy in schools. Teachers are taken through training on how to help children with creative writing.' Ntsoane said parents who were not honest about the languages they spoke at home presented a challenge for teachers because this affected the children's comprehension of language and vocabulary.
