How an innovative literacy project is transforming young lives

Amid a sluggish government response, Astra Primary School started a grassroots literacy project that is transforming young lives and attracting families in search of better educational opportunities for their children.

Led by principal Helma Boggenpoel, a literacy initiative centre was launched at the school in Bethelsdorp, Gqeberha, in 2019.

The programme has reshaped classroom culture and sparked a love of books and reading among the children. 

Boggenpoel said northern areas residents who had witnessed a positive change in the pupils’ attitudes now wanted to enrol their own children at Astra Primary.

However, space is limited.

“The school has partnered with United Through Sport for more than 10 years, and they go out and seek sponsorship for the school,” Boggenpoel said.

“The interest was to capacitate the reading programme because, obviously, you know that reading plays a pivotal role in education.

“You cannot excel without reading and understanding.

“It was crucial for us to have such partnerships because of our few resources in our community.”

Boggenpoel said that through partnerships with the Masinyusane nonprofit, the school now had a librarian and literacy coaches.

“The goal of the project is to take those struggling and push them up to be on par with those already excelling, and we work with those pupils for the year.

“I’m a language teacher and I can see a huge improvement, and the love of reading has become quite evident.

“Learners have access to the library during breaks and during reading periods. Teachers can take them to the library and the learners can also take out books from the library.

“We have a reading period where we say, drop down and read.

“So that period, the whole school reads, and I will walk through the classes and see. Even maths teachers and learners are supposed to read.

“Whether it’s that textbook of that subject, they must read, because I mean they are supposed to be able to read anything that is a reading material, not just a language reading book.

“So we do create an environment for the love of reading, and there is an improvement.

“Some parents are actually inquiring why their child is not involved ... but they don’t understand. We explain to them who we target for the programme.”

Boggenpoel said the project had added value to the school and influenced the children’s schoolmates.

“It’s rubbing off on other learners. Learners are starting to write and comprehend more.

“Because I’m a language teacher, I would go into the doing word and into the action word ... and they can identify.

“So, the teacher must still teach the learner with a barrier. We’ve not handed our work to the youth working in the library.

“Our parents here are supportive. Initially, some were in denial regarding their children’s abilities, but they’ve come around.”

Boggenpoel said there was an average of 35 pupils per class at Astra Primary though a few classes had more children.

This special report into the state of literacy, a collaborative effort by The Herald, Sowetan and Daily Dispatch, was made possible by the Henry Nxumalo Foundation

The Herald