In a country where the majority of children cannot read for meaning by the time they reach grade 4, initiatives such as Siphosethu Booi’s Buzz Beez Book Club play an important role in fostering a culture of reading.
According to the 2030 Reading Panel, about 80% of grade 3 pupils in SA are unable to read for meaning.
Another study by the University of Pretoria in 2021 revealed that 81% of grade 4 pupils struggled with reading comprehension.
These figures reflect a deep-rooted issue in our education system that will take years of effort, investment and community collaboration to overcome.
Booi, a 30-year-old journalist from Gqeberha, was inspired by her mother, a former foundation phase teacher, to help a friend’s child.
She then launched an online reading club targeting children aged seven to 10. By using simple technology, such as WhatsApp video calls, Booi has made reading accessible to children from across the community.
We have seen corporates, including Ford and Isuzu, getting involved in Rally to Read programmes aimed at fostering a culture of reading and reinforcing the power of storytelling.
These reading campaigns are critical to rewriting the future of our country by ensuring the foundation for all learning is instilled.
A child who reads with understanding is a child who can think critically, solve problems and dream big.
Booi’s outreach to schools in under-resourced communities, targeted in areas such as Kwazakhele, speaks to the issue of inequality in our society.
Many children from disadvantaged backgrounds do not have access to books at home, let alone the one-on-one support that reading development requires.
By taking her programme directly into schools and planning future face-to-face sessions, Booi is helping bridge that gap.
While government policy and national interventions are essential, it is the efforts of parents, teachers and citizens that breathe life into the projects and make a difference.
Many parents are overwhelmed and overstretched, especially single parents, which makes supportive structures such as this initiative invaluable.
We must support, amplify and replicate such grassroots efforts to ensure all pupils not only have access to books, but that they get the necessary support to ensure they are able to comprehend what they’re reading by the time they complete grade 2.
The Herald
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