On Tuesday 21 June, Witsand Primary received a visit from two staff members of the international auditing firm Makosi. Matthew Williams and Josephine Zvandasara handed 481 books to each learner, donated by the firm.

This project was part of its campaign to donate a book to 10 000 learners at various schools across South Africa. Makosi’s goal is to help infuse at least 10 000 learners with a positive mindset.

The idea is to motivate them to read more, something that will not only improve their knowledge but also help them acquire a better understanding of the world. The more they read, the more they will understand the very essence and purpose of this vital activity, the Makosi team believes.

It is an active process of constructing meanings for words and helping direct information towards a goal to focus attention on.

Although the reasons for reading may differ, its primary purpose is to understand the text, and that’s what Makosi wishes to achieve, teaching children the importance of understanding what they are reading and to share their experience with others.

Witsand school principal Gerhard Matthyse was very excited about the Makosi project and hoped it would not just enhance learners’ reading skills, but improve their inclination to pursue this activity.

“As I mentioned, anything that can help our kids we grab with both hands,” he said.

“The project, hopefully, will stimulate our children’s love for reading, not least because for many this will be the first reading book that belongs to them.”

With this in mind, each educator will be motivated to set-up their reading nooks in their classroom, a step closer to where the school will have its own library, Matthyse said.

Makosi, currently distributing books to learners in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, and hopes to extend it to the other provinces soon, said Williams.