The ability to read is crucial to learning. The outcomes of a good quality basic education are to equip learners with literacy skills for life and further learning. The Department of Basic Education is intensifying efforts at ensuring that many more learners can read.

The Minister of Basic Education Mrs Angie Motshekga will therefore host a Reading Roundtable on Tuesday 31 March 2015. This Reading Roundtable is an initiative towards empowering communities and schools in particular to start a Reading Revolution.

The Reading Roundtable is geared towards strengthening the collaboration between social partners and other key role players in ensuring that reading projects are coordinated and respond to interventions that the sector has identified.  One of the aims is to strengthen strategic partnerships between government, NGOs, national and international donors to achieve more with less. 

Minister Motshekga believes that  together we must strive to create 'Reading Schools' where learners talk and inspire each other about books, talk about authors, one child to another without the teacher necessarily being involved.

Members of the media will be allowed to cover the opening and the minister’s keynote address and will be afforded an opportunity to conduct interviews.   

The media are invited to attend the Reading Roundtable as follows:

Date:               Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Venue:             DBE Conference Centre, Room B, 222 Struben Street, Pretoria

Time:               10h00

Enquiries and request for interviews:  Ms Matjatjie Magagane: 076 462 4067    

          ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION