Retired school principals, educators and businesspeople joined forces to form Edu-Bizz resulting in the organisation recently holding its first reading convention.
South African learners’ comprehensive reading and writing skills have long been under scrutiny. The aim of the reading convention was to highlight the lack of proper reading and writing skills of learners as a major crisis in the education system. Held at the Saldanha Freeport Access Building on Saturday 18 November, the event was attended by 59 people, consisting of principals and teachers from 10 schools and key non-governmental organisations.
West Coast Circuit Manager Nomnikelo Gaika opened the convention and also led the discussion on the importance of awareness with regards to the crisis in the region and beyond.
Professor Michael le Cordeur, NRF-rated researcher and Vice-Dean for Teaching and Learning in the Education Faculty at Stellenbosch University, was the keynote speaker at the event.
He highlighted statistics showing lack of reading and writing skills is mainly systemic in nature. One of the standout figures is 81% of learners not being able to read with meaning in Grade 4. This is a huge indictment on the outcomes of teaching and learning, in especially the Foundation Phase of our Education System, according to Le Cordeur.
He noted that the current environment is not conducive to quality education. “The system has natural enemies and needs a healthy root system,” he said, referring to nurturing reading and writing skills at an early stage of a child’s development.
He added that every teacher is a reading teacher and emphasised the importance of embracing reading in the digital space. According to Le Cordeur leadership, the involvement of the broader school community and collaboration among public institutions, non-governmental organisations and the private sector are imperative to helping improve learners’ skills collectively.
“We urgently need to strive not only to design and develop our own new educational light bulb, but also plan how we will let this light reach as many learners as possible, providing safe and effective access to the future.”
Edu-Bizz, organisers of the event, is a registered and West Coast-based non-profit organisation.
Its mission is to provide a bridge between business and education that explores, designs and propagates sustainable solutions to the challenges in the education field.
The team includes Reginald Kortje, Mario Green, Norman Cloete, Allan Dreyden, Edwena Snyer, George Cloete, Jeremy Constable, John Delport, Cyril Kyster, Gerhard (Roy) van Schalkwyk, Elvin Vraagom and Cliffie Vraagom.
“Edu-Bizz deems itself fit to facilitate a process in which we can unite behind the education fraternity, specifically our West Coast school community in making a significant and decisive difference in the reading abilities of our learners.”
Edu-Bizz reiterated the call by Le Cordeur for involvement and collaboration from all stakeholders in pursuance of effective solutions.
The non-profit has already committed itself to a follow-up workshop in February 2024, where inputs and ideas can be brainstormed and action plans developed.
Contact the Edu-Bizz team on 072 013 2722 or 078 035 1575, or send an email to edubizz2023@gmail.com
