Bold new approach to fixing the basics in SA's schooling system

This time last year, when I became South Africa's minister of basic education, my first order of business was to listen deeply, be guided by the evidence and reform strategically.

- Siviwe Gwarube

Over the past 12 months, I have travelled the length and breadth of our country. I have, on average, visited one school per week. I've met provincial leaders and officials, school principals, teachers, parents and, most importantly, learners.

Their stories and realities have shaped everything we have done since. Our work has been guided by a simple yet powerful statistic: 80% of children in South Africa cannot read for meaning in any language by Grade 4. This has told me that we need to get the basics right.

Based on the low levels of literacy and numeracy, we launched a major shift in the Department of Basic Education's approach to its work: the strategic reorientation towards improving the quality of foundational learning.