As part of the build up to World Book Day the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga (MP) will on Thursday 2 March 2017 celebrate the joy of reading and books with learners at Observatory Junior School in Observatory, Cape Town.
This activity will form part of the Department’s Read to Lead Campaign, which is a four-year campaign to create a national focus to improve the reading abilities of all South African children. The Campaign is to improve the reading abilities of all South African children whilst the main aim of the Campaign is to ensure that all learners are able to demonstrate age appropriate levels of reading.
World Book Day is a celebration of authors, illustrators and reading. The main aim is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with access to books.
Research has shown that children who read for enjoyment every day not only perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures.
The research also indicates that reading for pleasure has a greater impact on performance in school than the social or economic background of the child. It is therefore crucial to encourage and empower learners to read for pleasure.
Reading is a foundational skill on which all other learning is built. This skill creates the opportunity for access to jobs and for individuals to participate effectively in a democracy. This is a call for a variety of partners and stakeholders to engage in developing and maintaining a reading culture.
Members of the Media are invited to attend the World Book Day and will be granted interview opportunities as follows:
Date: Thursday, 2 March 2017
Time: 7h30
Venue: Observatory Junior School, Clifton Terrace, Observatory, Cape Town
Enquiries:
Elijah Mhlanga
Cell: 083 580 8275
Troy Martens
Cell: 079 899 3070
