WCED Launches 2013 Literacy and Numeracy Campaign | Western Cape Government

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WCED Launches 2013 Literacy and Numeracy Campaign

23 January 2013

One of our main priorities is to improve the language and maths skills of our primary school children.

The recent release of the results of the Western Cape Language and Mathematics tests for Grade three, six and nine indicates that while we are making encouraging progress in these areas there is still much to be done.

Much of the progress can be attributed to the successful implementation of our literacy and numeracy strategy.

The main elements of this strategy include:

• Diagnostic testing of learners in Grades three, six and nine.

• Careful analysis of test results.

• Teacher training and support.

• Ensuring "text-rich" schools.

• Parent and community mobilisation.

While we will continue to implement appropriate strategies and invest in improving the language and maths skills of our learners through our schools, we also appeal to parents to play a role in ensuring further progress.

Parents can play a crucial role in supporting their children and their education. Our new campaign is therefore aimed at the parent and asks them to:

"Help your child read, write and practise maths every day. Let’s make education better together."

The campaign kicked off on 16 January to coincide with the start of the school year. Key elements include:

• A Grade 1 Parents' Guide.

• Radio advertising.

• Billboards, posters and banners.

• "Wrapped" taxis, internal taxi displays and trailers.

The department is distributing 108 000 copies of the Grade 1 Parents’ Guide to schools to give to parents.

The trilingual guide provides an overview of the curriculum for languages and maths in Grade 1 and tips for parents on what they can do to develop their children’s language and maths skills at home.

The guide also provides reading lists for holiday and leisure time reading and advice on where to obtain further information.

The department will broadcast tips for parents on 10 radio stations in January and February, via 561 radio advertisements.

The WCED has emblazoned the campaign message on 20 taxis travelling in Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain and the Cape Flats and has placed internal "visor" ads in 100 taxis on long-haul routes travelling on the West Coast, around Worcester and in the southern Cape.

Trailers will display the message in seven townships and suburbs in the Metro North, East and South education districts.

The department is investing about R1.25 million in the campaign this year.

We are appealing to parents to take an active interest in their children’s education and to encourage them to read, write and calculate every day.

Simple things like asking them to count groceries in shopping bags, reading a headline in a newspaper or writing down what they did in school that day, can go a long way to developing a young child's skills.

We hope that this campaign alerts parents to their responsibilities in developing their children’s language and mathematics skills.

By working together, Parents can also ensure further progress. 

Media Enquiries: 

Bronagh Casey
Spokesperson for Minister Donald Grant
Tel: 021 467 2377
Cell: 072 724 1422
Fax: 021 425 3616
E-mail: Bronagh.casey@westerncape.gov.za