Poor reading skills in South Africa's foundation phase prompted senior researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Laurette Marais, to develop a pilot project to address the alarming literacy challenges.
Ngiyaqonda!, an innovative literacy app, aims to help foundation phase learners develop reading comprehension skills in their home languages, an essential step toward building a strong educational foundation.
Dr Marais showcased her innovative app at the Science Forum South Africa 2024. The app drew huge interest from thousands of people who visited the exhibition.
Drawing on curriculum-aligned content and leveraging the CSIR's advancements in local language text and speech technologies, Ngiyaqonda! offers an engaging platform for children to practice reading in a playful yet structured manner. The app generates thousands of interactive sentences, creating an immersive environment for learners to enhance their language proficiency and comprehension skills.
Dr Marais believe the app is much needed in South African schools.
"This application integrates text and speech technologies into a dynamic user interface, delivered as an Android app. Its primary goal is to address a critical issue: 81% of South African children cannot read for basic meaning in their home language by grade 4. This puts them at a significant disadvantage, as they struggle to understand the sentences in their textbooks, assignments or exams. Our technology seeks to bridge this gap by supporting literacy development in both home languages and English," said Dr Marais.
The app currently supports Sepedi, isiZulu, English and Afrikaans. Dr Marais and her team are optimistic about expanding the platform to include more of the country's 12 official languages, provided they can secure additional funding. This ambitious goal highlights the CSIR's commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity in education.
"Our application is designed to be multilingual, reflecting the linguistic diversity of South Africa. By including text-to-speech technology that converts written text into audio and pronunciation scoring that evaluates learners' reading aloud, we aim to create an engaging and effective learning experience. This approach not only builds home language literacy but also strengthens English comprehension and reading skills," said Dr Marais.
Ms Agnes Dlamini, a primary school teacher, believes that tools like Ngiyaqonda! can complement traditional teaching methods and provide children with additional resources to practice and improve their skills at their own pace.
Funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the Ngiyaqonda! project is a prime example of how cross-sector collaboration can drive educational innovation. The app is currently being tested in selected schools to gather feedback from both learners and teachers, which will inform its refinement and broader rollout.
The CSIR team envisions Ngiyaqonda! becoming a cornerstone of South Africa's efforts to address literacy challenges. By equipping children with the tools to read for meaning in their home languages, the app has the potential to transform educational outcomes and contribute to a more literate society.
The Ngiyaqonda! literacy app represents a bold step toward addressing South Africa's literacy crisis. Its focus on home-language education and use of cutting-edge technology reflect an innovative approach to a persistent challenge. With further support and development, Ngiyaqonda! could play a pivotal role in shaping a brighter future for South Africa's youngest learners.
For more information on the Ngiyaqonda! Literacy app, please visit:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gmQiqx8x0J8
