(a) The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has a National Reading Sector Plan and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) have developed their Reading Strategies that target the early grades informed by the National Reading Sector Plan, but taking into account the provinces' contexts. The PEDs' reading strategies outline different activities that are being implemented in schools to improve reading outcomes, and PEDs report to the DBE twice in a financial year (September and March), on their implementation. To ensure that the DBE also tracks the implementation, the implementation of the Reading Strategies forms part of the indicators of the DBE's Annual Performance Plan (APP).
There are also various intervention programmes and strategies that are coordinated at the DBE to support the improvement of reading outcomes in the early grades. They include the following:
(b) The DBE noted the recommendations in the 2030 Reading Panel report, some of which are addressed by the National Reading Sector Plan. In terms of strengthening the National Reading Sector Plan, the DBE, supported by the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), is currently engaged in processes to strengthen the Sector Plan.