Alexandra children get cutting-edge reading room to enhance learning
Gauteng MEC Matome Chiloane unveiled a state-of-the-art reading room in Alexandra to help children fall in love with books from an early age.
Children in Alexandra will now have access to a cutting-edge learning facility intended to enhance their literacy by making reading more pleasurable.
This follows the unveiling of a new reading room by Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane at Thabisong Educare Centre on April 24. The initiative, launched in celebration of World Book Day, highlighted the critical role of early childhood development (ECD) in shaping South Africa’s future leaders.
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The newly unveiled reading room, converted from a storeroom in partnership with the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance, is designed to be inviting and interactive. It encourages children to learn through playing.
Ntombikayise Mokoena, the director of ECD at the Gauteng Department of Education, elaborated on the importance of play-based learning in early development. “Children play for a purpose, you will see that as we are celebrating World Book Day today, you will find that they are developing reading skills.”
She emphasised that ECD focused on holistic development, ensuring children acquired literacy and numeracy skills in a stress-free and enjoyable manner. “We say in ECD, the work of a child is to play. We do not pressurise the children to learn; their way of learning should be pleasurable.”
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The event highlighted the importance of developing a love for reading from an early age. Gauteng MEC Matome Chiloane delivered his keynote address, aligning the initiative with the World Book Day theme, Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. “This theme resonates deeply with our vision for education in Gauteng, where we firmly believe that the seeds of leadership are planted through early exposure to books and literacy.”
He further outlined ambitious literacy goals, warning that a child who couldn’t read by age 10 risks remaining functionally illiterate for life. To combat this, Gauteng is blending traditional reading methods with modern technology, from storytelling and literacy games to robot-assisted learning for children with autism.
Sibusiso Mahlangu, the chief executive officer at Matthew Goniwe, stressed that ECD played a pivotal role in reducing socio-economic inequality, citing scientific research that showed the first few years of a child’s life were crucial for brain development.
“Unesco says between the ages of 0-5, learners develop a million neural connections per second. That is the right time to introduce learning and reading to them,” he noted.
With the collaboration of all stakeholders, including government, parents, and the community, to enhance ECD, Alexandra’s children now have a stronger foundation to become the leaders of tomorrow.
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