President’s reading initiative gathers momentum

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s initiative to get South Africans into the spirit of reading is gathering momentum with the National Reading Coalition (NRC) continuing its efforts to extend the initiative across all ages through the Virtual Reading Club (VRC).

Since the VRC launch on 18 December 2020, the NRC has hosted five book review sessions in an effort to take up the President’s challenge to read one book a month.

The NRC will host its 6th instalment on 27 May 2021, to discuss Franz Fanon’s decolonisation novel, The Wretched of the Earth.

South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke and David Kabwa, who is the first African Prime Minister of the Commonwealth Youth Parliament, will review the book.

The session will take place via Zoom from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Interested participants can register to attend the session on www.nrc.org.za

Since its launch on 15 February 2019, the NRC has been in support of the President’s initiative to improve reading throughout the Nation – from the classroom to the living room.

“In the journey to develop a culture around reading, the NRC has continuously built networks around reading clubs nationally to grow this reading culture across the country.

“The VRC has afforded the opportunity for influential individuals within our society to contribute in the President’s call to encourage South Africans to participate in the Presidential Reading Circle,” the NRC said.

The NRC is a coordinating structure where all reading initiatives and interested stakeholders can come together to share knowledge and successful learning experiences.

The NRC was established by the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) as a comprehensive national response to the reading challenges facing South Africa.

The NRC is coordinating the development and implementation of a comprehensive national reading improvement strategy. The coalition functions as an agile, self-sustaining network of reading initiatives. – SAnews.gov.za