SPARK Blue Downs High promotes reading for World Book Day

AS THE world celebrated World Book and Copyright Day, educators at SPARK Blue Downs High are echoing a powerful call to action: a renewed focus on reading amongst learners.

- JELLYBEAN JOURNAL REPORTER

Principal Siyabonga Manana, an advocate for literacy, seeks to inspire both fun and educational reading habits within his school, responding directly to troubling statistics from the 2023 National Reading Survey that revealed 25% of South Africans have no books and more than 63% lack any fiction or nonfiction at home.

“Reading really does make you clever,” asserts Manana, who firmly believes that the act of reading transcends mere pleasure; it enhances basic vocabulary, improves comprehension, augments cognitive ability, and fosters critical thinking.