117859 GDE APP 201920 6th proof 26 July

The Department has introduced the Phendulani Literacy Quiz which allows learners to read preselected books in preparation for the literacy quiz for district eliminations. The winning teams of learners will participate at provincial level. These initiatives have assisted learners to read more and improve their reading and literacy skills. The Department cooperates with the National Reading Coalition launched by the DBE to support the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) whose aims are to establish and maintain a self-sustaining ecosystem of reading initiatives across the country, including governmental and civil society reading improvement activities. reading initiatives across the country, including governmental and civil society reading improvement activities. In support of the Read to Lead Campaign, the Department will be hosting School Library and Reading Summits in all four regions. Departmental officials, teachers, learners, community-based organisations, reading ambassadors, publishers and partners participate in these summits which are geared to motivate learners to read for enjoyment. Activities during the summits include dialogue speech, poetry reading, literacy quiz, debates, authors talk show and young authors showcase their books by reading to learners. The Department also continues to observe the Drop All and Read campaign (DAR) in all schools which allow learners to read for enjoyment for 30 minutes per week. The Department encourages schools to celebrate special Literacy Days/ Weeks/ Months. World Read Aloud Day was celebrated on 1 February in partnership with Nalibali and the Reading Ambassadors were requested to choose a school and read to learners. 1 559 730 children throughout the country were read to. The other literacy days are International Mother Tongue Day on 24 February, Worlds Book Day on 23 April, International Literacy Day on 8 September and the International School Library month in October. Schools and departmental officials will celebrate these literacy days by arranging special literacy promotion events and promote indigenous languages, as 2019 has been declared an Indigenous Language year by UNESCO. Drop All and Read (DAR) The DAR programme allows learners to read for The English Across Curriculum (EAC) that will target learners in Grade 4-12. This programme aims to strengthen English proficiency as well as improving the implementation of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) for Foundation Phase learners in 555 primary schools, to ensure an early diagnosis of reading gaps. Regional reading summits across the province will occur to engage various stakeholders regarding the promotion of reading. To further reinforce quality teaching and learning in the Foundation and Intermediate phases, expertise from SMT’s, teachers and district officials will be consulted to engage in a discourse around quality teaching and learning. Library Services Library services continues to render library related services to all public ordinary schools in the province. Research has shown the positive role a functional school library plays in the development of reading and information literacy skills amongst learners. Library services provides the following activities and services: • The supply of mobile library services to schools without libraries especially those that are situated in remote areas

24 | Annual Performance Plan 2019/20