LIMPOPO – The National Book Week (NBW) Tour received a welcome fit for royalty when representatives rolled up at Megoring Primary School outside Polokwane in a bus last week Tuesday.
The guests included Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Rejoice Mabudafhasi and NBW ambassador, Aaron Moloisi, who were greeted by a guard of honour formed by the school’s drum majorettes. The warm hospitality continued when the learners performed a short play in the 11 official languages. Mabudafhasi reciprocated the love when she facilitated a book give-away in the spirit of #BUYABOOK for the school’s new library, in conjunction with the local municipality.
“We turned an empty class into a library last year, and hope it can be fully operational in the next few weeks. I’d like to see the library being used to help learners with school work, because I think it would be a good place for remedial classes,” said Gr 7 teacher, Mafa Mathiba.
Unlike teachers from other schools that have so far been visited by the NBW Tour Bus, Mathiba said their learners – save for a handful – enjoy reading for leisure. “We have an annual Foundation for Learning programme where a day is booked-off for all learners to participate. They read to one another in different languages across all their subject matters to gain a basic foundation and understanding. When the library opens, I would like to see books that speak to the learners’ reality,” Mathiba concluded.
The NBW bus then moved on to Molepo Library, which opened in February 2014. Librarians Tshidi Tjale and Maurdy Dunsterwere on hand to welcome the guests. Tjale said learners from the nearby primary and high schools are frequent visitors, and they credit the variety of books and computer lab for being the big draw card.
“Our books are bought by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in conjunction with the Polokwane Municipality. We request the books members say they need, which keeps our shelves relevant.”
During the tour, a number of different activities took place inside and outside the library. Older children enjoyed playing a word game, Wordathon and the younger children played with a toy library provided by Cotlands.
The NBW mascot, Funda Bala, also came out to play.
Other primary school learners enjoyed storytelling, hip hop and poetry sessions.
The children could also enter the Story Bosso competition, which is a nationwide storytelling competition to find South Africa’s first Story Bosso.
Aimed at reawakening a love for storytelling and reaching out to South Africans of all ages, the competition connects the public to ideas and inspiration on how to tell stories and read aloud to others.
It showcases a range of local stories (in all South African languages.
Dunster said lots of preparation and planning went into the event.
“We are changing the norm of saying ‘we are not reading’. We’re not leaving it at just this week’s activities; after the celebrations we’re still going to carry on promoting reading.”
