Hon Deputy Speaker, I think the reports that we are quoting are reports from the department. We can also share with the member that currently, as we are sitting here, almost 7 million of our children in the country are writing their annual national assessments, which we are using also as tools to monitor that the strategies we have put in place are working.
We have put strategies in place; that is why there are book corners, book pockets and reading clubs. We are putting different strategies in place to deal with the reading issue.
The point I was also making to hon member Lovemore is that, for us to improve as a country on reading, it means that, as a nation, we have to read. We are not a reading nation ourselves. Even in our own homes, our kids are not inspired by us reading.
Only 5% of South Africans are advanced readers. In Russia, 95% of the people are advanced readers. This shows that it is a national crisis. We, all of us, have to become a reading nation so that our kids can be inspired. There is access to books; there are all sorts of material available. The schools can only go so far. However, homes also have to create a reading environment in order for kids to love books. We can teach them what to do but, as a nation, we have to start a culture of reading. We have to buy our kids books as presents. We have to exchange books and become a reading nation so that we can be a winning nation. If we as parents expect the school to do it all and fold our hands and watch TV and do not read, we are not helping anyone. We have to read ourselves, first as South Africans. [Applause.]