The miracle that is Corona

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Rally to Read shows children the road to comprehension

The Rally to Read 2020 Mpumalanga event, held over the past weekend, again showed that when Ford and the Rally to Read teams arrive at a rural school, the reception is vibrant, colorful, energetic, loud and in your face.

Boasting excellent CSI and service delivery stats, Westvaal Numbi Ford and Westvaal Numbi Ford Hazyview were chosen by Ford SA to support the Mpumalanga leg of this national initiative. It was also their second year of participation. The large group of Ford, media and other representatives were divided into five teams, each with a team leader from the participating dealerships. Ford SA has invested significantly into the Rally to Read and other programs over the years and these dealers were visibly energized to once again engage with the nine participating schools in the White/Hazy Area.

We are all in agreement when I say, that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow - our daughters are the mothers and the nurturers of the future. The reality though is this: forty percent of 14-year olds have the read capacity equal to that of a seven-year-old. Research by Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that 78 percent of Grade 4 learners cannot read with comprehension. And, according to David Furlonger (editor at large of the Financial Mail), forty percent of current CSI spent in South Africa is wasted due to the lack of structure and accountability.

So yes - shocking it certainly is but we have to find creative solutions to address these shortcomings within our education methodologies sooner rather than later.

Since its inception in 1998, Rally to Read has brought hope and support to 16 000 primary schools, 12 000 teachers and 250 000 children. Its founder is the well-known Brand Pretorius. The program, which runs over three years, supplies each school with portable classroom libraries. The books and other materials are scientifically developed and synchronize with the curricula of the Department of Education. Teachers are trained on the application of each Grade's material and the intervention is closely monitored over a period of three years. The program currently involves six school districts across five provinces.

Kenneth Lekhuwane - principal at Khombindlela Primary School:” The disappearance of story-telling elders in our culture is partly to blame for the lack of comprehension among our kids. Storytelling and play methodologies within the Rally to Read program helps to bridge these gaps."

This view is supported by Nkosi Nelson - principal at Siyamukela Primary who added: "We have moved from teacher-centric to learner-centric methodologies of teaching and this program provides excellent and creative support in our school."

Ockert Berry (VP Operations, Ford Motor Company of South Africa) said: "From Grade 1 to Grade 3, you learn to read - from Grade 4 onward, you read to learn." Wise words and so true.

Although not the standard, it is not uncommon to find classrooms with as many 90 learners in some of these schools. In rural schools, learners are taught in their mother tongue from Grade R to Grade 3. In Grade 4 the teaching language changes to primarily English. Now this obviously, in my mind, must present some challenges. The vocalization of the alphabet letters - for one - differs from the mother tongue to English and may well produce some misinterpretation? And with English being the language of business and the world, would it not make more sense to just start with English right from Grade R?

Mavis Maseko, a teacher for 20 years and 12 years with the READ Educational Trust, explains the rationale: "Building relationships to cultivate buy-in and overcome resistance, is a challenging process. And although I agree with your sentiment, solid mother-tongue grounding eases the learning of a second language. Our program does introduce English already in Grade 1 and this contributes to its success in changing the face of literacy at participating schools."

"We have, from year one to two, seen a measurable improvement in both reading and understanding of up to 12 percent within the participating schools," said Stephan Venter (general manager for Westvaal Numbi Ford). "Learner confidence levels have also improved."

It is undeniable - Rally to Read programs has proved successful in its intention to bridge the reading and comprehension gaps within the system. It compliments a learner-centric approach where storytelling and play-learning bring back structured fun to the learning process.

Art was first published in the Lowvelder on March 13.

A cook-off of note and such great fun.

Sikolo Setfu - School pages. An initiative which creates mind shifts on so many levels...

SA's education is in a crisis

Our education system is in shambles - full stop!

Our kids and grand kids are tomorrow's leaders. Our daughters are tomorrow's mothers. If 78 per cent plus of Grade fours cannot read for meaning in any language (PIRLS report), we are in deep trouble and we are all - every last one - responsible.

During Innibos this year, I covered an event at the Laerskool Nelspruit's art centre. What a beautiful space it is! I thought, well, we expect only the best results from learners at these schools. Compared to this school, the conditions at most rural schools are shocking; nevertheless, we still expect similar results from the learners at these schools too. Are we are out of our minds?

Yes, the parents at private and former model C schools pay an arm and a leg in terms of school fees and I have no quarrel with this. Rural communities do not have this capacity, but this does not mean that we should accept this as the norm. Government should have a laser-focused approach towards the upliftment of these schools. And if they do not, which is quite obvious, we should vehemently query this at every opportunity. We have a collective responsibility towards our children - mine and yours.

I was invited to share some insights and motivation with a number of rural school principals and business leaders recently. The school where we convened had a large, beautiful, but unused science lab. There was not a single piece of scientific equipment or instrument available. None - zero - zilch. And no, it was not destroyed in protest. It was just never supplied. They have a well-equipped computer class, but cannot afford an adequate enough data bundle or Wi-Fi to enable them to utilise the facility to its optimum...

This is just totally unacceptable! This, while in another world, as someone said on Twitter, "Eskom millionaire managers demand an increase in salary from the same company they bankrupted through bad management".

Where did we go wrong - where did I go wrong? Where did we not set the right example? Where did we illustrate the lack of capacity to not live authentically? Where did we fail in our responsibility to share our blessings equally? Where did we - both black and white - consider ourselves superior to the needs and aspirations of another human being?

What you sow, you reap and yes, let it known - karma is a bitch!

As parents - all parents - we have the same aspirations for our children, but this situation is an indictment towards our education system. At one point, a principal expressed her delight and gratitude about her child who is performing exceptionally well at school - a school in Mbombela. We shared her joy. This observation is absolutely not meant as a criticism, but affirms that something is radically wrong and yes, we are responsible.

I do not have all the answers. I do not claim perfection either. But when I think about these things, my soul is not well - not at all well! If we don't take hands and accept our collective responsibility to address the education of our children today, we are failing humanity - we are showing ubuntu the middle finger - we are neglecting our purpose to illustrate Godliness.

Future generations will become our accusers if we continue to act as if we have been disinfected and dislodged from our inner voice - our souls. We will be held responsible for the many single stories of failure - of lost potential - for the many who tried and would have been successful if only we had not been so stubborn in our lack of support.

I have learned throughout my life, and now also through my PfP involvement, that it is the small, often considered insignificant things, that creates the most powerful, deep and infinite changes.

Which is it going to be? How do you plan to show up? What is your single story going to tell?

Tell me on matthys@lowvelder.co.za

An ode to the "unknown" ones.

Unknown

I don’t know you

It is not important

What I feel when I hear you

What I see when I look at you

Is a beautiful divine being

Should your perception of yourself

Differ from this –

It is but an illusion

If you would like to be –

Experience

That person whom I see

Whom I feel

It is your choice

to be

who you truly are

you

beautiful and divine

be

you

When life presents life...

Why this? Why that? Why now? Why me…?

Well, why not?

Someone asked, ‘How are things on your side?” I replied: all is well.
And I am thinking, life is actually pretty good. It is presenting me with opportunities, challenges, disappointment, laughter, death, birth, humor, joy, sadness – in fact, some moments within this presentation are quite demanding. I need to slow down – right down – right now, but life wouldn't let me! Or so I think!

In response however, I am not presenting life with a why - not anymore. Why the hell should I? I trust God, the Great Spirit, the Universe, LIFE and accept that there is a good reason for everything that is being presented, down to the smallest detail. I was not always this trusting though, but then, that is a story for another time. And just by the way, I do not believe in coincidence.

How are you responding to what life is presenting you with? Are you frustrated? Are you grateful? Are you shooting yourself in the foot by denying your own divinity, your own worth and the tremendous value you bring to this world, your family, your work environment? Because if you do, you need to stop right here, right now!

Of course, it is not always easy to embrace that which life presents. It can be pretty brutal at times. But here's the thing. Resistance to what is creates even more difficulty. However, when one embraces what is, irrespective, it becomes easier to manage and learn what needs to be learned. Consider the difficulties as being part of your advance course in those areas and just go and cum it!

I once observed a large rock in a river. It divided a single stream into two streams. The image has stayed with me till this day. This rock did not move or change from one moment to the next. In fact, it did absolutely nothing. It was just there.

But by just being there, it divided the stream – adding speed to the flow of the water – directing part of it in different direction, which brought a whole host of benefits to many. Growing on the side of this rock was a tiny fern. It was battered by the flow of the water but it was beautiful and green and definitely not going anywhere.

You see, often it is not about what you do or what you own. It is about being you. Often and at any one time, your presence at a particular time and place is all that is required for miracles to happen, for things to change and improve for everyone, including you. So yes, you really can be an agent for change by just being you, by consciously sharing and being present.

So, be mindful of the fact that you are a piece of an extremely large puzzle. It is called life and without you, this puzzle is inconclusive. Life cannot present life without you being part of it!

So again, I repeat the invite for you to share your story with the readers via this platform.

Thank you to those readers who have expressed appreciation for the previous Single Story pieces. The intention though, is for you to be the author of this column – not me. So let’s hear it. Email me at matthys@lowvelder.co.za