Babalwa Mtumtum, a veteran educator who began teaching in 1992, has spent more than three decades confronting a persistent challenge: children unable to read and write at their expected level.
After years as a teacher and school principal, she founded the Bright Future Educational Academy in Mthatha in 2018.
This after-school centre supports pupils from grades 1 to 10 who are struggling with literacy and homework, aiming to bridge critical gaps in their education.
“I saw children moving from one grade to another without mastering the basics,” Mtumtum said.
“By the time they reached grade 3, they were already too far behind. That’s what inspired me to focus on foundation phase pupils — because this is where the battle is won or lost.”
Here, we slow down, we repeat and we encourage. It’s about building confidence as much as it is about literacy
Her academy prioritises individual attention, teaching in small groups or one-on-one sessions to tailor lessons to each child’s needs.
“Every child learns differently. Some need extra time; others need a different method.
“Here, we slow down, we repeat and we encourage. It’s about building confidence as much as it is about literacy.”
The impact is evident. One mother said her daughter, who once cried over homework, now reads with excitement.
“Those are the small victories that keep me going,” Mtumtum said.
“When a child reads a full sentence for the first time, that moment stays with you. It reminds us why this work is urgent.”
Her urgency aligns with the findings of the 2030 Reading Panel, which reported that nearly 80% of SA’s grade 3 pupils could not read for meaning in any language.
The crisis is worse in rural areas, where more than 85% of pupils in no-fee schools struggle with basic reading comprehension, compared to 57% in fee-paying schools.
Experts warn this could have severe social and economic consequences.
Mtumtum believes community initiatives such as her academy are vital.
“The government alone cannot carry this burden. As educators, parents and community members, we all have a role to play.
“If a child cannot read, they cannot learn. And if they cannot learn, their future is at risk.”
Mtumtum envisions expanding Bright Future Academy into a full-service school offering holistic support, including personal therapists, language therapists and social workers.
“Children need holistic care to truly thrive,” she said.
For now, her focus remains on the foundation phase, which she calls “the heartbeat of education”.
Her ultimate dream is ambitious yet clear: “To see every child in SA read with meaning by the time they finish grade 3. It starts with one pupil, one classroom, one community at a time.”
In a country grappling with a deepening literacy crisis, Mtumtum’s work at Bright Future Academy s a beacon of hope, proving that change is possible — one pupil, one book and one sentence at a time.
Daily Dispatch
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