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A career in practice
Meet Julia Maphutha, a South African education practitioner working across language, materials and foundational learning.
Julia at a Limpopo education gathering.
Julia Maphutha is a South African education practitioner whose work connects early literacy, educator development and learning materials. Her professional journey includes fourteen years as a primary school language teacher, with recognition for excellence in teaching reading, followed by work at Room to Read from 2012 to 2018.
At Room to Read, she developed experience in early literacy, coaching, facilitation and materials development. Her advocacy for accredited training helped initiate the Limpopo Library Practice Learnership, through which 25 school-library volunteers completed a recognised qualification.
She joined Funda Wande in 2019. Her responsibilities span the adaptation of learning and teaching materials into Sepedi, Setswana and Sesotho, identifying master teachers in these languages, and overseeing classroom filming and editing. Her documented Sepedi work includes translation, editing, a graded-reader anthology and collaborative literacy curriculum development.
Julia completed Master of Education research at the University of Limpopo in 2018. Her dissertation examines reading-and-writing programme implementation in two Foundation Phase primary schools in the Lobethal Circuit. She now leads Funda Wande’s Limpopo intervention.
Her professional record also includes conference programme contributions, participation in the international library community and selection for a UNESCO education leadership programme in Paris. Across this work, her focus remains on supporting the adults, materials and everyday practices that help children learn.
Research & qualification
Postgraduate research into reading-and-writing programme implementation in two Lobethal Circuit primary schools.
A concise professional profile with selected experience, qualifications and contributions. Updated 5 November 2026.
A commitment that carries forward
Earlier career
Funda Wande’s professional biography records recognition and awards for Julia’s excellence in teaching reading during her years as a primary school language teacher.
Read the evidence
Funda Wande · Julia Maphutha — employer biographyUNESCO · Paris
Julia was selected for a UNESCO education leadership programme in Paris, scheduled for 22–26 April.
Read the evidence
The journey
Fourteen years as a primary school language teacher, with recognition and awards for excellence in teaching reading.
Early literacy, coaching, facilitation and materials development at Room to Read, followed by advocacy for accredited school-library training.
Helped initiate an accredited learnership partnership; 25 school-library volunteers completed the programme.
Listed as a Room to Read participant at the 81st IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Cape Town.
Completed Master of Education research at the University of Limpopo.
Joined Funda Wande; documented work includes Sepedi materials adaptation, classroom filming and a graded-reader anthology, alongside
Contributed to literacy curriculum development, edited and translated resources, and joined the Sepedi reading-benchmarks reference group.
Supporting foundational learning within Funda Wande’s provincial programme.
Room to Read
Funda Wande
University of Limpopo
UNESCO
LinkedIn
ETDP SETA
IFLA World Library and Information Congress
UNESCO
UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning
Teaching at the Right Level