Recognising that literacy is a human right and the foundation of all learning, today Macsteel and SHINE celebrate International Literacy Day at Goede Hoop Primary in Reiger Park, Gauteng.
For over 40 years, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has been celebrating International Literacy Day by reminding the international community of the importance of literacy, which remains one of the biggest challenges faced by the South African education system.
Macsteel has joined forces with SHINE, an organisation aiming to drastically improve the quality of the education system in our country, to stimulate the learners' creative thinking by reading to them and dressing up as characters from the books that are read to them to make the stories come to life.
SHINE has committed to helping learners in grade 2 and 3 with their reading and writing skills. "We want to make reading fun and exciting and we want the learners in our schools to embrace reading. We would also want to make learners aware of the importance of reading and the effect it has on their school careers," says Michael Zietsman, Director, SHINE.
SHINE has committed to partner with educators and learners in four primary schools in Reiger Park. Twice a week, in what is referred to as the Shine Literacy Hour, a team of volunteers provides specialised help to learners in these schools to develop their reading and writing skills. The Shine Literacy Literacy Hour is an early intervention programme, giving support in reading, writing and language to learners in grades 2 and 3, setting them up for a greater chance at success.
"Literacy is the absolute foundation of education and Macsteel is proud to support SHINE. We will continue to dedicate our time to programmes like these which make a tangible difference in the children's lives and provide them with the knowledge and skills that will help them create a better future for themselves," says Kim Allan, Macsteel's Group Corporate Social Responsibility Manager.
"Our aim in the next few years is to launch the SHINE Programme in more schools and to significantly grow our volunteer base as there are many more learners who will benefit from additional help in the area of literacy which will significantly change the direction of these learner's school careers," concludes Zietsman.
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