South Africa’s primary education system faces a critical reading crisis, with international assessments consistently showing that over 80% of Grade 4 learners struggle to read for meaning in any language.
MCPT and KICP have partnered to work in our 10 primary schools to change this. Mastering foundational literacy by age nine is the cornerstone of all future academic progress; children who fail to make the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” are significantly more likely to fall behind across all subjects and eventually drop out of school.
Implementing structured literacy intervention programmes in our 10 primary schools is therefore not just an educational priority, but an urgent socio-economic imperative. By delivering targeted, evidence-based reading support early in a child’s development, these interventions bridge learning gaps, empower learners with essential cognitive tools, and help disrupt intergenerational cycles of poverty.
Our MCPT/KICP Literacy Programme delivers targeted classroom support and in-house mini workshops. Rather than offering generic training, facilitators conduct lesson observations during school visits to identify real-time classroom challenges. These issues are discussed with teachers beforehand, ensuring workshops deliver practical, tailored strategies in key areas such as remedial teaching, letter-sound knowledge, and spelling.
On 15 August 2026, MCPT conducted a joint workshop with 48 participants including MCPT teachers and KICP student teachers, led by four KICP facilitators. The session focused on:
- Developmental Dyslexia, exploring its impact on decoding, reading fluency, spelling, and comprehension
- Practical strategies to support struggling learners, including multisensory techniques, visual aids, tailored activities, and adapted teaching methods to improve engagement.
- Assessment concessions, helping teachers identify learners needing extra support and implement accommodations that ensure fair participation.
This collaborative, observation-driven framework strengthens ties between MCPT and KICP while providing immediate, relevant feedback to educators. Moving forward, the MCPT Literacy Programme will continue utilizing classroom observations followed by targeted mini workshops as a core strategy for sustainable professional development.
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