The reading clubs at the Sebabatso Primary School in Botshabelo and the Moipone Primary School in Thaba Nchu have been boosted with a donation of books.
This was done courtesy of Nal’ibali, a national reading for enjoyment campaign that is aimed at fostering a culture of reading and promoting the importance thereof among children.
Suitable for learners in the foundation and intermediate phases, these books are in English, Sotho and Afrikaans.
The donation was made possible by community members participating in a special initiative by Nal’ibali that celebrated former president Nelson Mandela’s belief in the importance of reading. One of Mandela’s biggest wishes for the children of South Africa was for them to experience the joy of reading and the importance of reading for lifelong learning.
Vuyo Ndzume nominated Moipone to receive a book hamper, while Mastory Phakoe selected Sebabatso. Both schools have active reading clubs and have mentors, known as reading champions, who focus on improving learners’ reading ability.
Phakoe, an English teacher at Sebabatso, says they have 34 learners who are active readers.
“They attend sessions twice a week. They enjoy reading and we teach them about the value of books,” says Phakoe.
“Their interest is further sparked by comics and fun stories.”
Phakoe works with Kelebohile Khahleli, reading champion, and Motsokoane Ramotsilisi, a Sotho teacher.
The Moipone reading club team has four members mentoring about 30 learners. They are librarian Ipeleng Khola and reading champions Nkosinathi Phalole, Amohelang Ramahlele and Siyabonga Moseme.
“The new books will help us reach our target to increase the number of learners joining the reading club and participating in the reading programme,” says Khola.
The Nal’ibali programme promotes the use of home languages in nurturing and improving children’s reading ability, and the ability to read with comprehension in indigenous languages.
An international study on reading ability has revealed that most South African school children struggle to read by the age of ten.
South Africa is ranked last out of 57 countries assessed in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls), which tested the reading ability of 400 000 learners globally.
