28 Nov 2019

Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Dr Nnaniki Makwinja has hailed reading challenge initiative as a track towards knowledge-based economy.

Officiating at the national reading challenge prize giving ceremony themed; Adopt Reading as a Culture to Develop 21st Century Learner in Ghanzi on Wednesday, Dr Makwinja said the initiative should be rolled out to all primary schools as reading was the  mainstay of the learning process .

She said the  joint project between the Ministry of Basic Education and British Council, launched 2010, was currently  running in 20 schools across Botswana.

“It is a small number considering the year it was launched and the number of primary schools in the country,” she said

She was of the view that with the programme, public school education would be competitive, hence she challenged coordinators of the programme to devise better ways to enroll more schools in the project.

Dr Makwinja said basic education ministry was grateful for the partnership with the British Council and the support  they continued to offer through the provision of books for learners to practice reading.

She said her ministry, through the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP), had prioritised, among others, reading in an effort to improve academic performance.

National reading challenge chairperson, Ms Dikaelo Utlwang said the initiative was   introduced to support literacy development at primary school level.

Ms Utlwang said the programme was evaluated in 2016 and the responses were positive as it was evident that it was relevant and had  improved learner’s outcome and boost  learners’ confidence and promote critical thinking.

She said it was their dream to see the programme being rolled out to all primary schools. ENDS