The UK faced the same challenge but has mostly ensured that now synthetic phonics is the standard method of instruction. The success of this programme has really been down to a single key politician in the Department for Education, Nick Gibb. He's never had a cabinet role so didn't get deeply caught up in reshuffles, and for most of the past 13 years he's been the Schools Minister. The TES ran a profile of him and his phonics drive recently, a good followup to the Sold a Story series: http://archive.today/ee9LA