ThemainaimistogiveasynopsisofthearticleswhichwerethefirstofthreephasesofaninternationalcollaborativeresearchprojectbetweAfricaandauniversityinChina.Theoverallthemeoftheprojectwas:Literacydevelopmentinmaryschools.Firstly,anintroduction,includingthebenefitsandchallengesoftheintesearchprojectcollaborationbasedonreportsinliterature,isdiscussed.Secondly,thebackgroundotheSouthAfrica-Chinaprojectanditsthreephasesisdescribed.Thirdly,theliteracydevelopminprimaryschoolsinSouthAfricaisdiscussed.Lastly,asynopsisoftheSouthAfricantea’sem-piricalfindingsprovidingoverviewsofliteracydevelopmentwithintheearlybanandruraleducationinSouthAfricaispresented.Theseoverviews(togetherwithtworemaioverviewsnotincludedinthisarticle)serveasapointofdepartureforthesecondphasearchproject.
