Empowering children through The Road to Literacy campaign

Access to books and meaningful reading experiences are essential for children to acquire foundational literacy and progress through their education.

In 2023, AVBOB, Oxford University Press Southern Africa (OUPSA), and the government celebrated the second year of the AVBOB Road to Literacy trolley library campaign, a tripartite partnership dedicated to stimulating and promoting a passion for books and reading.

Each trolley was delivered with 500 books, an increase from the 430 books provided in 2022. Each AVBOB Road to Literacy trolley library was valued at approximately £2,135, with the total investment for the 2023 initiative exceeding £555,000.

On Thursday, 15 June 2023, AVBOB CEO Carl van der Riet and OUPSA Managing Director Hanri Pieterse announced the 260 beneficiaries of the AVBOB Road to Literacy campaign.

“Adjudicators faced a challenging task, sifting through more than 8,000 nominations submitted by South Africans across the country to determine the deserving beneficiaries of the 2023 campaign,” shared van der Riet.

In her keynote address, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga stated, “This campaign is a crucial step in our journey to instill a culture of reading and enhance the numeracy skills of primary school children across our beloved country.

I am particularly delighted to share that this year’s campaign places special emphasis on reading resources in mother tongue languages. Extensive research has shown that teaching in a child’s mother tongue reduces dropout rates and makes education more accessible and engaging.

Moreover, we recognize the critical importance of developing numeracy skills during a child’s formative years. Together, let us ignite a love for reading, strengthen numeracy skills, and empower our children to reach new heights of knowledge and achievement.”

As part of AVBOB’s ongoing commitment to support literacy, van der Riet explained that the AVBOB Road To Literacy campaign with OUP and the government is a critical collaboration in response to a pervasive need in schools and society.