Volkswagen promote literacy amongst learners
In an effort to promote literacy amongst learners aged 10 years and younger, Volkswagen Group South Africa is investing in training for the educators.
Volkswagen has invested R2 million towards a pilot project which consists of an online accessed, video-based course offered in both isiXhosa and English First Additional Language. The course stems from a programmer which was developed and presented by a non-profit organisation, Funda Wande. The programme which consists of 11 modules is being developed to equip Foundation Phase educators to teach and encourage reading – both in learners’ home language and in English as an additional language.
“The VWSA investment in the early stages of the Funda Wande programme helped us to raise the status of early grade reading and reading for meaning in South Africa, perhaps the best evidence of the impact of the work we are doing is that President Ramaphosa pledged in his State of the Nation address that it was one of his top five priorities to ensure that “every 10 year old will be able to read for meaning” in the next 10 years,” Nic Spaull, project director, Funda Wande.
The Eastern Cape will be the first region for the programme to roll-out once fully developed. In addition to the pilot programme, funds will also be directed towards developing a two-year part-time Advanced Certificate in Foundation Phase Literacy Teaching with Rhodes University. Funda Wanda has also established literacy centres at schools in Uitenhage with the support of VWSA. This investment is but the second part of the total R4 million investment VWSA has made towards this goal.
“The literacy skills we give to our children will equip and empower them for the successes they achieve in the future, We intend to do our part to ensure they have the best chance at a bright future – and improving literacy in the Eastern Cape and South Africa is the first step” Thomas Schaefer, Chairman and Managing Director, Volkswagen Group South Africa.
