Cape Town - The faces of children at Inkwenkwezi Educare in Nyanga lit up as they were paid a special visit by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, who read to them during this year’s National Book Week.
Gwarube on Friday launched National Book Week, which aimed to celebrate and promote the transformative power of reading across South Africa.
National Book Week coincides with International Literacy Day, celebrated on September 8 each year.
Gwarube read two books Raindrops and Lollipops (English), and a Xhosa book titled Umangaliso Losuku Lokuzalwa KukaThato.
“National Book Week is more than a celebration; it is a call to action. Reading is a foundational skill on which all other learning is built, it opens doors to opportunities and dreams,” said Gwarube.
She rehashed one of her key priorities for the 7th administration over the next five years, and said it was to enhance literacy and numeracy across all levels of foundational schooling.
“Literacy is one of the key ways in which we can unlock economic opportunities for our learners in the future. This journey starts with a single book and the reality that every child deserves the opportunity to read and dream.”
A 2023 study by Department of Basic Education and Unicef South Africa, showed that 43% of South African households lacked access to books.
The 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) found that 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa could not read for meaning.
Gwarube further encouraged everyone to participate in National Book Week by reading to a child, donating or sharing cherished books, purchasing new books for those in need, or visiting the local library with young children to introduce them to a culture of borrowing and reading books.
“Our efforts this week can spark lasting change,” she said.
Inkwenkwezi Educare principal, Theodora Lutuli, thanked Gwarube, as well as their social partner FNB Care for making the reading session possible.
“It was so encouraging to see and hear how she values education, especially the foundation phase,” Lutuli said.
ECD specialist with FNB Care, Jennifer McQuillan, said they were humbled on a daily basis to be working with Lutuli and Gwarube.
Cape Argus