While children in the foundation phase should be reading an average of 40 books a year, children in South Africa’s poorest and most under-resourced communities are reading as little as one book a year; which limits the development of their minds and imaginations.
South Africa was ranked last out of 50 countries in the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy study, which tested the reading comprehension of learners in their fourth year of primary schooling.
78% of South African pupils at this level could not read for meaning, a further reflection of how South Africa is lagging behind other developing countries, when it comes to literacy.
Liberty Two Degrees (L2D), a listed property company of the Liberty Group, has partnered with international award-winning South African Poet and Social Philosopher Athol Williams and Read to Rise, a non-profit organisation that promotes youth literacy in under-resourced communities, to boost literacy and creativity this National Literacy Month.
Amelia Beattie, CEO of L2D, said they are committed to making a positive contribution to education.
“We own Sandton City and Eastgate and large super regional centres. We here at L2D are are passionate about education, and the things that can drive any education initiative in South Africa.”
WINNER: Athol Williams hands out his new book to school pupils at the Westridge Library. On the right is the illustrator of the book, Taryn Lock. Picture: Henk Kruger
According to recent research, Beattie said, “58% of grade 4s in South Africa cannot read for meaning, while only 29% are completely illiterate. It’s a concern for us and an alarming statistic, considering the direction the country wants to take.”
L2D supports the Read To Rise initiative that began in Mitchells Plain where one of their other shopping centres are.
“It’s important for us to contribute to increasing the country’s literature rate especially amongst our children.
Not only does reading expand the vocabulary, but there is a plethora of benefits, from a younger age, there is memory improvement, mental stimulation, improvement in knowledge, analytical thinking skills which we know are important in business and entrepreneurship, especially with writing skills.”
Athol Williams is also the first person to receive Master's degrees from five of the top universities in the world
In its commitment to making a positive contribution to the communities it operates in, L2D together with Read to Rise, will roll the initiative out across its portfolio.
The initial phase will commence at their super regional assets, Sandton City and Eastgate Shopping Centre, with Liberty Midlands Mall and Liberty Promenade joining the initiative in the first quarter of 2019.
They endeavour to provide more than 6000 young children an opportunity to own books, as a medium to nurture their love of reading, and ultimately improve their performance at school.
Beattie also adds that it is important for young ones to make reading something you do every single day, just like you schedule anything in your day, make it an everyday thing because it’s so powerful it can change your life.
A challenge has been posed to schools to share the joy of reading with someone else. For every reading book that learners and/or schools purchase, the same book will be donated to an underprivileged child.
READING: Learner at school: Picture: Supplied
Read to Rise excites children about reading and gives new books to learners in under resourced communities.
To date, the organisation has visited over 2 400 classes to conduct their programme and given out over 120 000 new books. And together with L2D, they turn the book into an interactive theatre piece.
Sharing the importance of reading; learners, educators and parents can visit www.readtorise.co.za to order books, which will be delivered directly to the school.
Schools that have bought the most books will win their share of R20 000 in gift vouchers from Sandton City and Eastgate Mall.
The Sunday Independent