Princess High fosters reading

Princess High School has taken it upon themselves to fix one of the many problems the country is currently facing: Literacy levels.

South Africa is currently facing serious illiteracy in schools. The latest statistics revealed by the Progress in International Reading Study (PIRLS) in May 2021 are dire, stating that 81% of Grade Four learners are unable to read for meaning in any language, even their home language.

This issue builds up from primary schools to high schools and it continues to deteriorate instead of improving.

In response to the learners’ difficulties in English and other subjects, Princess High School recently started a reading club to encourage reading for understanding and meaning.

According to School Governing Body chairperson, and founder of the club, Yandisa Makhalima, during the first term, they picked up that the learners in grades eight and nine struggled in English and couldn’t read for meaning or understanding which therefore, affected their performance on other subjects that are conducted in English like Mathematics, Social Science, Technology, etc.

Yandisa also mentioned that the school library does not have relevant books yet, which gives her and the English teachers a challenge to lead this club.

“What we have been doing since we don’t have books yet is that I pair them up with someone they aren’t familiar with and introduce them to the group. This is to encourage them to know unprepared speech and be able to address people and build their confidence. Another exercise they are going to do is to read something out of a newspaper and they have to come tell us about it,” she said.

To foster a sense of reading in the school, they will be hosting a competition in July featuring categories such as poetry, monologue and public speaking.

The club started a few weeks ago and it has more than 60 learners from the school’s facilities.

Speaking to the Roodepoort Record, English teacher Bongeka Zweni emphasised the importance of parents doing their part when it comes to the education of the learners.

“The school has intervention classes where the whole school is trying to assist these children but we would like the community to encourage the learners to read and write at home, and when they have books that would be great because we know even at home, they are doing something,” Bongeka said.

To keep the spirit of reading, the reading club is looking for sponsorship to revamp their library and fund their upcoming competition. For more information, contact 010 023 3917.