Right to Read campaign logo

News and media coverage


Subscribe to our newsletter
Powerful Right to Read Activation Energises Makhanda Community

Powerful Right to Read Activation Energises Makhanda Community

09 July 2025

On 23 June 2025, the Lebone Centre in Makhanda became a hub of passionate advocacy as the Right to Read campaign hosted a transformative community activation.

GroundUp: Right to Read campaign launches in Makhanda

GroundUp: Right to Read campaign launches in Makhanda

24 October 2023

Civil society and teachers join forces to make early-grade literacy a national priority.

TimesLive: Government called to set laws to boost reading rate among pupils through campaign launch

TimesLive: Government called to set laws to boost reading rate among pupils through campaign launch

31 August 2023

The Right to Read Campaign was launched on Wednesday to call on government to establish legislation for minimum obligations when it comes to improving and monitoring the literacy rate among school pupils.

eNCA - 81% of grade 4 learners can't read for meaning

eNCA - 81% of grade 4 learners can't read for meaning

31 August 2023

Noncedo Madubedube (Equal Education) discusses the Right to Read campaign on eNCA.

Social justice organisations launch The Right to Read Campaign to address early-grade literacy

Social justice organisations launch The Right to Read Campaign to address early-grade literacy

30 August 2023

Today marks the launch of the Right to Read Campaign (R2R) at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg in response to the shocking early-grade literacy rates in South Africa.

Right to Read on CapeTalk Afternoon Drive with John Maytham

Right to Read on CapeTalk Afternoon Drive with John Maytham

01 June 2023

Sipumelele Lucwaba is the Secretary of the Right to Read and she joins John to bring the campaign's response to the PIRLS 2021.

Right to Read on SAfm Sunrise's Mediated Conversation

Right to Read on SAfm Sunrise's Mediated Conversation

01 June 2023

Mediated Conversation: Yesterday came with confirmation that 81% of our children cannot read for meaning in any language by the time they get to grade four.

News24 Op-Ed: Some PIRLs of wisdom for the education minister - stop planning, start legislating

News24 Op-Ed: Some PIRLs of wisdom for the education minister - stop planning, start legislating

24 May 2023

The inability of 81% of our learners to read for meaning is an indicator of a system failing to provide all the inputs necessary to give children a reasonable opportunity to learn to read, argues Cameron McConnachie.

Young boy reading book in class Alphabet posters on classroom wall Teacher holding word card Young learner with two thumbs up
Right to Read campaign logo Copyright © Right to Read Campaign
Privacy policy

Our campaign

The Right to Read Campaign aims to mobilize civil society and the education sector, as well as society at large, to make early grade literacy a national priority reflected through legislative reform. One of the ways we have identified to do this is to advocate for the development of binding regulations for reading in the first three grades of school.

Subscribe to our newsletter