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Reading-coaches to improve reading skills

 

In the mission to improve the reading skills particularly in underperforming schools the Northern Cape Department of Education will appoint 66 unemployed young people who will become reading coaches in various schools, the department have previously conducted research and found the need to deploy reading coaches at schools.  The Literacy Strategy was successfully launched at the Kevin Nkoane Primary School last month.

 

The department is targeting on developing the level of both literacy and numeracy achievement as part of its turn-around strategy, schools have been tackling the matter in different ways but the department will be introducing one aligned reading method.

 

The department have invested R20M to for this initiative, the reading coaches are expected to be increased in the next financial year as part of the literacy strategy, reading coaches will be expected to help learners with reading tasks, provide guidance in their school work, including some administration work done by the teachers. Reading coaches will be deployed to all the grades.

 

When outlining the departmental budget speech MEC for education Gizelda Cjiekella expressed the significance of literacy in schools and the need to have reading coaches in schools, “One of the key components of the Literacy Strategy is the appointment of Reading Coaches. For the 2013/14 financial year, we are investing a total of R20m from voted funds to appoint 66 unemployed young people as Reading Coaches at under-performing public schools and 6 at departmental offices to assist in implementing the Literacy Strategy”, Cjiekella said