Teachers in KwaZulu-Natal are warning that the rollout of Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education in Grade 4 could worsen the province's literacy crisis without better resources and training. Borrowed terms in subjects like maths and science are confusing learners, according to educators at several no-fee schools. The 2025 Funda Uphumelele National Survey shows only 40% of Grade 3 learners in the province can read and understand text in their home language.
In eThekwini, iLembe, and Zululand, educators at quintile 1 no-fee schools expressed frustration during visits coinciding with the release of early grade national reading benchmarks. At Esidumbini Primary School, Grade 3 teacher Nonhlanhla Kleinbooi highlighted issues with terms like 'irekhthengile' for rectangle, contrasting it with the familiar isiZulu word 'unxande'. 'This is where we lose our learners. They understand the isiZulu word, but when we start borrowing, that sounds like a completely different language. It’s like starting school again,' she said.
The Funda Uphumelele National Survey revealed that 60% of Grade 3 learners in KwaZulu-Natal are ill-prepared for Grade 4, with performance low in quintile 1-3 schools compared to 74% benchmark achievement in quintile 5 schools. Nonhle Zondi, a Grade 3 teacher at Maphumulo Primary in iLembe, noted, 'Our learners are still struggling with the basics of isiZulu, from recognising letter sounds to reading fluently.' Class sizes of 40 to 60 learners limit individual support.
Numeracy challenges persist, with the 2022 South African Systemic Evaluation showing 66% of Grade 3 learners at emerging or evolving levels. Terms like 'pherimitha' for perimeter and 'eriya' for area create 'hybrid confusion,' as they clash with isiZulu phonetics lacking the letter R. Principal Jotham Buza Zwane at Tshenilokwazi Primary in Ulundi said, 'We can see the confusion. We want to teach in isiZulu because it is theirs, but science and maths have their own language, and the resources that we receive do not support that.'
Mugwena Maluleke of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union called for well-structured mother-tongue textbooks reflecting South African contexts. The Department of Basic Education plans MTbBE rollout in Grade 4 for 2025, with R57-million allocated over three years for support, separate from R4-billion for workbooks. However, schools lack infrastructure and print materials themselves due to insufficient supplies. Educators like Phaphamani Ngcobo at Mapholoba Primary suggest teaching isiZulu terms alongside English equivalents to bridge gaps.
While MTbBE aims to boost comprehension in early grades, teachers fear it may disadvantage isiZulu speakers compared to English and Afrikaans learners who receive mother-tongue instruction through Grade 12. KwaZulu-Natal lags behind Western Cape and Gauteng, where 60% and 62% of Grade 4 learners meet reading benchmarks.