BOOKS TO FEED YOUR MIND!

By KOPANO MONAHENG

FOR children to be able to read, write and count, a lot needs to be done.

This is why HOPE Worldwide South Africa, Dis-Chem Foundation, Pan Macmillan and Phoenix International Logistics have partnered in developing the reading skills of young children.

The new partnership happen after a shocking statistics were released in May this year by Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). The findings show that 81% of grade 4 pupils in Mzansi can’t read for meaning in any language. 

But an immediate action was taken to help improve the quality of teaching and learning at schools.

More books were set aside so that they can be dispatched to a number of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres across the country in a bid to improve reading and counting skills.

One of the centres benefited from this initiative was Kopano Day Care Centre in Zandspruit, Joburg.

Mzansi ranked lowest out of the 43 participating countries in learners’ reading skills globally. 

The four organisations know that reading is the foundation of all learning, and if children can’t read with understanding they will struggle, not only throughout their schooling but in tertiary as well.

Grade R pupils at Kopano Day Care Centre were each given two captivating books, namely We Are One written by Refiloe Moahloli and First 100 Words. 

Refiloe read the children an extract from her book, Yes Yanga!

And then sang a song, about being champions,with hand movements that left them enthralled!

We Are One, First 100 Words and Yes Yanga! are all published by Pan Macmillan. The printing of books handed to Kopano Day Care Centre Grade Rs was funded by Phoenix International Logistics and the Dis-Chem Foundation.

Dis-Chem Foundation’s Jacqueline Kahlberg, told Ezimtoti: 

“There are many children without access to books. It falls upon us who have the means to play a part in assisting to upskill them in any way we can to give them the best possible start in life,” she said. 

Girlies Makgoba, the manager of the centre, encouraged parents to read books to their children at home. This way, their reading skills will be enhanced and they will be encouraged to develop a love for reading, which will open them up to new worlds, opportunities and possibilities.

Dr Marc Aguirre, country director for HOPE Worldwide South Africa, said the book handover will make a huge difference to the pupils.