"The progress in international reading literacy study (PIRLS) assesses reading comprehension and monitors trends and indicators of growth in reading literacy at five-year intervals.
The PIRLS international scale has a range that is set from 0 to 1,000, with a center point of 500, and a standard deviation of 100.
South Africa is the only country in the PIRLS that stratifies its sample among 11 official language groupings resulting in a high percentage of low socio-economic schools featuring. Its diverse non-homogenous language context should always preface a deeper understanding of achieved reading literacy scores. Grade four learners were assessed across the 11 official languages. Grade six learners were assessed in English and Afrikaans. A total of 12,426 grade four learners were assessed, and 9,317 grade six learners were assessed. The 2021 sample was nationally representative, and was stratified by language and province.
PIRLS objectives:
• To assess how well South African grade four and six learners read, and to identify possible associated contextual factors.
• To compare the reading literacy of grade four South African learners, both internationally and on a national level for all 11 official languages, and across all nine provinces."
Citation formats
Grade four and six learners ability to read for meaning in South Africa 2021
As of 2021, grade six learners achieved a mean score of ***, which was ** points higher than the average score obtained by grade four learners. However, both grades scored well below the PIRLS 2021 international average, indicating that the vast majority of learners in grade four and grade six cannot read for meaning.
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International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, & Department of Basic Education South Africa. (May 16, 2022). Grade four and six learners ability to read for meaning compared to the international average in South Africa in 2021 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 31, 2026, from /statistics/1394449/grade-four-and-six-learners-ability-to-read-for-meaning-in-south-africa/
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, und Department of Basic Education South Africa. "Grade four and six learners ability to read for meaning compared to the international average in South Africa in 2021." Chart. May 16, 2022. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 31, 2026. /statistics/1394449/grade-four-and-six-learners-ability-to-read-for-meaning-in-south-africa/
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, Department of Basic Education South Africa. (2022). Grade four and six learners ability to read for meaning compared to the international average in South Africa in 2021. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 31, 2026. /statistics/1394449/grade-four-and-six-learners-ability-to-read-for-meaning-in-south-africa/
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, and Department of Basic Education South Africa. "Grade Four and Six Learners Ability to Read for Meaning Compared to The International Average in South Africa in 2021." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 16 May 2022, /statistics/1394449/grade-four-and-six-learners-ability-to-read-for-meaning-in-south-africa/
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement & Department of Basic Education South Africa, Grade four and six learners ability to read for meaning compared to the international average in South Africa in 2021 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1394449/grade-four-and-six-learners-ability-to-read-for-meaning-in-south-africa/ (last visited July 31, 2026)
Grade four and six learners ability to read for meaning compared to the international average in South Africa in 2021 [Graph], International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, & Department of Basic Education South Africa, May 16, 2022. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1394449/grade-four-and-six-learners-ability-to-read-for-meaning-in-south-africa/
