Emergent literacy: why should we be concerned?

Recent reports on the quality of education in South Africa seem to be negative, indicating a downwards trend on a yearly basis. Consequently, early literacy is lacking in the majority of learners who enter the formal school environment. As part of the South African government's literacy campaign, Read Educational Trust, an NGO involved in literacy programmes, launched a literacy initiative to increase the level of reading ability of learners. To determine the extent of the problem, a baseline study was undertaken in five provinces in South Africa. Both a qualitative and a quantitative research approaches were followed. It is clear from the results that the quality of preschool programmes in South Africa in general is below standard. The programmes offered, as well as the knowledge and understanding of caregivers regarding young children, need urgent attention from those concerned about the standard of literacy in formal schools.