As the world commemorates International Literacy Day on Sunday, 08 September 2024, Ford South Africa reaffirms its commitment to tackling the literacy crisis in the country through its enduring legacy projects. Despite significant investments in education, South Africa continues to grapple with high illiteracy rates, particularly among young learners. According to the 2024 Reading Panel report, an alarming 81 percent of Grade 4 learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning in any language, a crisis that threatens the nation’s future.
According to the Economic and Social Cost of Illiteracy report¹ by the World Literacy Foundation, this illiteracy cost South Africa US$6.66 billion in 2022, reflecting the severe economic and social impact of inadequate literacy development. Despite a budget of over R324.5 billion (over US$17 billion) allocated to Basic Education for the 2024/25 financial year, challenges persist. South Africa ranked last out of 57 countries in the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), with illiteracy among South African children rising from 78 percent in 2016 to 81 percent in 2021.
Addressing these challenges head-on, Ford South Africa supports two key legacy projects: Rally to Read, and the construction of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres, both designed to have long-lasting impacts on the communities they serve.
Rally to Read: Building a foundation for literacy
For 25 years, Ford South Africa has partnered with the READ Educational Trust through the Rally to Read initiative, contributing to improved literacy and education in underserved communities. Rally to Read is a three-year cycle project that equips selected schools with age-appropriate books, educational toys, and learning materials. The initiative also provides teachers with vital training and skills development, ensuring the sustainability of literacy improvements.
“Education, for us, is not merely an expenditure, it is a meaningful and long-lasting investment in the future of South Africa and our people. Ford’s commitment offers hope, not just to learners but also to the communities in which they reside. Our journey continues, one book at a time, one child at a time,” said Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company Africa.
Ford is currently supporting two Rally to Read programs, each with an annual grant of R1.36 million – one in Nelson Mandela Bay which is home to Ford’s Struandale Engine Plant, and the other in Pretoria which is where its head office and Silverton Manufacturing Plant is located.
This year’s Rally to Read in Nelson Mandela Bay marked the culmination of the three-year program, and focused on integrating sustainable practices to ensure the schools can continue these lessons in the future. Ford and the READ Educational Trust are now actively identifying new schools in the area, signalling the start of a new three-year program in 2025. In Pretoria, the second year of the program was implemented this year, benefiting six schools around Ford’s Silverton plant. The final Senior Phase of this program will be implemented in 2025.
Building a legacy with Early Childhood Development Centres
In celebration of its Centenary in South Africa, Ford, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Department of Basic Education, is constructing 100 Early Childhood Development Centres in disadvantaged communities. These centres provide essential educational infrastructure, replacing inadequate and unsafe structures with sturdy, fully-equipped buildings that create a conducive learning environment for young children.
To date, 27 ECD centres have been completed, benefiting over 1,000 children in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape. This initiative not only improves early childhood education but also enables these centres to receive government funding, further enhancing the quality of education in the most vulnerable communities.
“Nelson Mandela highlighted the importance of education as a means of empowering and uplifting the youth, which ultimately creates a brighter, more prosperous future for the country as a whole,” said Neale Hill. “We are honoured and privileged to be supporting Madiba’s legacy by partnering with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to build these ECD centres.”
As South Africa continues to face significant literacy challenges, Ford South Africa remains steadfast in its commitment to creating lasting change through education. These legacy projects, Rally to Read and the construction of ECD centres, are designed to leave an enduring impact, fostering the growth of future generations and contributing to the socio-economic upliftment of the nation.
On this World Literacy Day, Ford South Africa calls on all stakeholders – government, business, and civil society – to join hands in addressing the literacy crisis. It is only through collective action that we can ensure a brighter, more literate future for South Africa.