CKPS celebrate Read Aloud Day

Constantia Kloof Primary School (CKPS) joined the global celebration of World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) on Wednesday, February 4, marking the official launch of Read Aloud Month across South Africa.

According to CKPS media teacher Mariana Louw, this annual initiative spearheaded by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the Nal’ibali Trust aims to reach millions of children to foster a lifelong love for stories and reading.

CKPS principal Karen Bergsma, alongside the teachers, officially completed the WRAD pledge to kick off their commitment to literacy throughout the year. This pledge has also been shared with all CKPS learners and parents to encourage a community-wide culture of reading.

One of the highlights is a unique collaboration between learners and Grade Six English teacher, Joline Smuts. Having grown up with deaf parents and later marrying a deaf man, Joline brought the official 2026 story, A New Friend, to life using South Africa’s 12th official language (Sign Language). The story follows a young girl named Hope who learns to communicate with Thandiwe, a deaf peer, during a trip to a nature reserve.

Learners from Grade R to Grade Seven participated in learning various signs, and the children experienced the powerful realisation that stories are not only heard but can also be seen.

“These platforms are essential for children to embrace and develop their reading skills, as literacy forms the building blocks of all education. Ultimately, CKPS aims to both participate in and create platforms for children to be exposed to the joy, love, and power of reading. We must provide these opportunities for them,” Mariana expressed.

The school now extends this challenge beyond the classroom, calling on parents to set aside time to read with their children and encouraging all pupils to carry the power of storytelling with them by reading every single day.