Abstract
The research investigates the utilisation of social media platforms by the Mpumalanga Department of Education in fostering an interface between the government and its citizens to propel the advocacy of reading initiatives. Given the distressing state of reading proficiency among South African primary school learners, the Department has instituted diverse reading programmes as a remedial measure. The imperative lies in promoting these programmes to instigate awareness of their significance among the Department's stakeholders. The study delves into the potential of social media platforms to augment stakeholder engagement in the promotion of reading initiatives. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the investigation draws from three principal data sources: social media platforms, semi-structured face-to-face interviews and data derived from archival documents within the Department. Methodologically, Critical Discourse Analysis, Thematic Analysis, and Content Analysis are employed for data scrutiny. The study's findings unveil the presence of foundational documents within the Mpumalanga Department of Education, including the Reading Sector Plan and Reading Strategy, which ostensibly underpin the advocacy of reading programmes. Nevertheless, a noteworthy revelation is the underutilisation of social media platforms for the promotion of these programmes. A pivotal contributory factor identified is the absence of a comprehensive social media strategy dictating the framework for deploying these platforms in the context of governmental programmes promotion. Consequently, the research proffers recommendations that encompass the formulation of a nuanced Social Media Strategy and Communication Strategy. These prescriptive strategies are envisaged to furnish explicit guidance on the social advocacy of reading programmes, judicious selection of social media platforms, the nature of content dissemination, optimal posting frequency, systematic evaluation of social media posts to gauge user engagement, and strategies for managing stakeholder feedback.
Key words: Social Media Platforms, Social Media Engagement, Reading Proficiency, Promotion of Reading.