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[FILE IMAGE]: Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube speaking during an event.
Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has commended the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, for launching the Funda Uphumelele National Survey (FUNS), which is a study that measures early‑grade reading outcomes across eleven official languages.
FUNS has been launched in Pretoria and provides the first evidence‑based data on how children are learning to read during the Foundation Phase. Makaneta notes that many children enter the Intermediate Phase without the ability to read with understanding.
Makaneta says, “Minister Gwarube has reminded the nation that reading is the foundation of all learning. The minister is determined to ensure that every child can read with understanding by Grade 4.”
He adds, “The survey is a collaboration between the Department of Basic Education, Linguists, Researchers and Education Specialists, which establishes national reading benchmarks for Grades 1, 2 and 3. These benchmarks define the critical skills learners must develop each year to build strong reading comprehension.”
In her keynote at the Funda Uphumelele National Survey (FUNS) launch, Minister Gwarube highlighted that, for the first time, South Africa has a complete picture of how children learn to read in all 11 official languages. “For many years, we knew that too many children were not… pic.twitter.com/oHfkwr64Du
— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) November 10, 2025
