Discussion: National Urgency to Transform Early-Grade Reading

Loading player...
Johannesburg, 25 February 2025 - Just weeks after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of
the Nation Address (SONA), where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to
“ensuring that every child can read for meaning in the foundation phase,” a new report
has been released by the 2030 Reading Panel. The 2025 report, released today in
Johannesburg, provides critical insights into the country’s progress in transforming
early-grade reading. One of the key findings of the report is that 80% of Grade 3 learners
cannot read for meaning in any language as measured by the South African systemic
assessment. Phemelo is joined in studio by Equal Education General Secretary
Noncedo Madubedube to unpack the findings and recommendations of the report
25 Feb 3PM English South Africa Education · Careers

Other recent episodes

Discussion: Public Roundtable on Gender Apartheid

Malala Fund, in partnership with the End Gender Apartheid Campaign, the Civic Engagement Project and Lawyers for Human Rights, will host a public roundtable at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg on Wednesday. The event brings together leading South African thinkers and members of Malala Fund’s Afghan Women’s Delegation for…
14 Apr 4PM 36 min

Mcebisi Jonas appointed SA’s special envoy to the United States

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former deputy minister of finance Mcebisi Jonas as special envoy to the United States (US). Ramaphosa announced Jonas’ appointment as his special envoy to America in a statement on Monday morning, 14 April 2025. Jonas’ appointment comes as Pretoria continues to consider its options of…
14 Apr 4PM 17 min

Parliamentary budget office unpacks VAT hike

Phemelo is in conversation with Director of the Parliamentary Budget Office, Dr Dumisani Jantjies who unpacks the parliamentary processes when it comes to VAT and how it is passed considering the current negotiations underway by the ANC and other parties.
14 Apr 4PM 19 min

African Foodways Event

Phemelo speaks to author, chef and food anthropologist, Dr Anna Trapido about a new African food and wine pairing menu that celebrates South African ingredients, cooking techniques, flavours and recipes and hospitality. The menu is in collaboration Johannesburg’s Saxon Hotel and African Foodways Production and Franschoek’s Leeu Paassant Wines.
14 Apr 4PM 9 min

Music Feature

In this week’s Music Feature, Musicologist Dr Sheldon Rocha Leal explores the art of the cover version.
10 Apr 4PM 26 min