Transforming education: The impact of the Leaders for Literacy programme in Pinetown

In an effort to address South Africa’s literacy challenges through coordinated collaboration, ten schools in the Pinetown District near Durban are taking part in the Leaders for Literacy programme.

This multi-year programme is a collaborative effort by Citizen Leader Lab, Khanyisa Inanda Seminary Community Projects (KICP), and the FEM Education Foundation.

According to the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) study, 81% of grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning and this initiative aims to tackle literacy in South Africa by combining leadership development, teacher training, and pupil support into one integrated school improvement model.

Started five months ago, the programme supports 64 foundation-phase teachers, 10 education assistants, and 2,658 pupils.

Maqadini Primary in KwaMashu is among the schools participating in the initiative.

Grade 3 pupils are now confidently sounding out words, many for the first time. Guided by their education assistant, they read in circles and recite phonics poems, using syllable cards taped to their desks.

“This used to be the quiet class. Now, you can hear them practising their reading from the corridor,” said Maqadini's principal Bonisiwe Mkhize.

Through Citizen Leader Lab’s Leaders for Education programme, school principals partake in leadership coaching, workshops, and peer-learning circles designed to strengthen personal leadership and school culture.

“Rather than solely focusing on the pupils, the programme’s first port of call is equipping school principals to lead.”

Beyond mere management, these leaders cultivate the ability to inspire, guide, and mobilise their teams.

A school principal who adopts this leadership style, according to the programme, can more effectively oversee and sustain literacy improvements, fostering an environment where teachers feel supported, learners are engaged, and parents are actively involved.

Vezamafa Primary School principal, Celumusa Radebe, believes that leading a school involves more than just management - it's about purposefully guiding teachers, pupils, and parents.

Principal Lindelani Ngcongo of Uthando Public Primary has implemented monthly "family forums" where parents, children, and teachers read together.

This initiative is part of a leadership-first approach that is positively impacting the school's culture.

“We’ve learned that parental involvement is critical. When the community believes in literacy, the learners start believing too,” he said.

The KICP’s Foundational Learning Programme trains foundation-phase teachers in practical, evidence-based literacy strategies.

The workshops focus on improving reading and spelling skills, teaching isiZulu and English (First Additional Language) with Department of Basic Education resources, supporting neurodiverse pupils, and creating learner-centric lessons. Teachers also receive fine motor skill toolkits to help younger pupils with handwriting.

A teacher shared how her Grade 2 pupils, who initially struggled with holding a pencil, are now able to write complete sentences.

“The KICP team showed us how to use games and activities to build grip strength and confidence. Now, they’re racing to write,” she said.

Another Grade 2 teacher at Maqadini Primary said the changes are evident in both the teachers and pupils.

“Before, we didn’t always know how to reach the pupils who fell behind. Now we have strategies, resources, and extra hands in the classroom,” she said.

Each participating school benefits from a dedicated education assistant (EA) who is trained by KICP to support both teachers and pupils.

EAs rotate through Grades 1 to 3, providing valuable assistance with visual aids and personalised resources. They also lead small reading circles and offer remedial and after-school support to pupils.

Nozipho Ngesi, who is an EA at Bhekilanga Primary School, recalled helping a group of pupils struggling with basic sounds.

“We practised the same syllables every day, using story cards and songs. The day [when] one of the children read an entire sentence, he jumped up and shouted, ‘I can read!’ I cried with him,” said Ngesi.

The programme faces significant pressure, with some schools having only one EA to support as many as 12 classes. This underscores the need for more resources as the programme continues to grow.

Teacher shortages, high pupil-teacher ratios, and pandemic-related learning deficits continue to strain classrooms.

Multiple workshops were postponed in June due to teacher union picketing and service delivery protests in Inanda.

School leaders, teachers, and EAs have found a way to move forward. WhatsApp groups, for example, are active with lesson ideas and troubleshooting discussions.

Project manager Constance Gumbo said they are learning to adapt.

“Sometimes we take the workshops to the schools instead of central venues. We work after hours. The commitment is there from everyone,” she said.

The KZN Department of Education has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with KICP to extend teacher professional development across the district.

With external impact evaluations underway using Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) tools, the programme is already generating data that could inform broader national policy and a replicable model.

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