To instil a culture of reading and help improve the numeracy skills of primary school learners, Avbob has launched the second year of its Road to Literary Trolley Library campaign, in partnership with Oxford University Press (OUP) on 1 March.
In this campaign, 260 trolley libraries will be given away, equipped with books donated by OUP Southern Africa (OUP SA), representing the 11 official South African languages, across numeracy books and other learning resources, to deserving primary schools and education nonprofit-organisations (NPO).
Included in the 2023 campaign is the availability of reading resources in mother tongue languages.
“Experts through various studies have found that teaching in a mother tongue language helps to reduce dropout rates, and makes education more accessible and engaging for learners.
“Equally important is the need to develop the numeracy skills at the formative years of children,” said Kebo Mosweusweu, AVBOB general manager of Shared Value and Sustainability.
The latest findings by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) show that 78% of Gr. 4 learners in South Africa could not read with comprehension in any language, because they are not taught basic literacy in their home language. This means that only 22% of the country’s ten-year-olds understand what they have read.
Hanri Pieterse, managing director of OUP SA, says a good reader needs a developed written vocabulary to read with meaning.
“This is why a child must learn how to read in their mother tongue. When they do, they develop this written vocabulary more easily as the words they read match the words they hear and speak”.
OUP has donated 130 000 books in all 11 official languages for this campaign.
In 2022, 180 trolley libraries were given to the winning recipients and this year the number of trolleys has increased to 260. The trolley libraries are sturdy structures, fitted with wheels.
Last year, each trolley was equipped with 430 books. In 2023, each trolley will have 500 books. Each Avbob Road to Literacy trolley library has a value of R50 000.
Nominate a school
Calls for nominations opened on 1 March and close on 14 April. Winners will be announced on 8 June.
The public is invited to submit electronic nominations as to why their choice of school or educational NPO deserves to win such a trolley.
The nominator must include the desired language for the library so the winners can receive books in their preferred language.
Deserving primary schools or educational NPOs who serve learners in Gr. R to Gr. 7 can be nominated.
Visit clickme1.zero-data.co.za/RTL_PR to nominate your chosen beneficiary.
