Across Africa, education experts are warning that a silent literacy crisis is deepening inequality and limiting future opportunity for millions of children. In South Africa, the latest findings from the 2030 Reading Panel show that only about 30 percent of Grade 6 learners can read for meaning a foundational skill essential for learning, employment and economic mobility. Speaking at a Reading 2030 Panel session in Johannesburg, the country’s Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, said when children cannot read, inequality widens and entire generations risk being left behind. Thuto Ngobeni reports

<p>Across Africa, education experts are warning that a silent literacy crisis is deepening inequality and limiting future opportunity for millions of children. In South Africa, the latest findings from the 2030 Reading Panel show that only about 30 percent of Grade 6 learners can read for meaning a foundational skill essential for learning, employment and economic mobility. Speaking at a Reading 2030 Panel session in Johannesburg, the country&rsquo;s Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, said when children cannot read, inequality widens and entire generations risk being left behind. Thuto Ngobeni reports</p>