Pinehas Nakaziko
Windhoek-Hosting an event such as readathon at school inspires learners to reading with not only understanding but enjoyment too.
This is the impression of Becca Undjivanga, a Grade 7 learner from the St Barnabas Primary School in Katutura. He was one of hundreds of learners from the school who gathered at the Katutura Community Hall last Friday when the school celebrated Readathon Day. The day was hosted under the theme ‘Read with a Purpose, Ways of Saving Water. David Kefas, also in Grade 7 at the same school, says he has learned a lot, including how important water is.
“I never knew water was that important to our lives, apart from drinking and cooking with it,” says Kefas, adding that he will henceforth find ways to save every drop of water.
The learners performed various activities such as dancing, reading poems and drama, which were all geared towards focusing on saving water in view of the country’s current water shortage.
The learners were also encouraged to teach their parents at home on what they have learned on the day. The Readathon Day is an annual national celebration organised by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to highlight the importance of reading. The main aim of the event is to encourage children – even reluctant readers – to read for pleasure.
Learners can read whatever they like, including comics, non-fiction, poetry, electronic books, or just listen to stories. But for this year, learners were tasked to find ways how to save water.