Beyond matric results: what meaningful education looks like in a changing world
/ 23 January 2026

Beyond matric results: what meaningful education looks like in a changing world

Each January, matric results dominate headlines across South Africa, offering a snapshot of academic performance at the end of a long schooling journey. For many families, these numbers matter deeply, symbolising years of commitment, sacrifice and hope. Yet, as the world young people are entering becomes increasingly complex, the national conversation around education is slowly […]

Mother-tongue education is failing
/ 24 December 2025

Mother-tongue education is failing

The numbers tell a politically uncomfortable truth. A survey of all Grade 4 children in Makhanda’s no-fee public schools this year found that 51% of isiXhosa learners taught in English can read for meaning.  However, for those taught in isiXhosa — despite it being their mother tongue and despite decades of policy emphasising the value […]

The politics of literacy
/ 23 December 2025

The politics of literacy

In November 2025, the R50 million Funda Uphumelele National Survey (FUNS) delivered the first comprehensive measurement of early-grade reading in all official languages. The findings confirmed what researchers suspected: only 31% of Grade 1 learners can identify 40 letter-sounds per minute — the minimum threshold for reading readiness. By Grade 3, 15% cannot read a […]