NRC Reading Dialogue at Eastern Cape.

Every year in April, South Africa joins over 100 countries around the world in promoting the culture of reading of books in schools and in communities through the World Book month. Adding to this initiative is the celebration of the World Book Day which was created by UNESCO on 23rd April 1995.
The World Book month initiatives are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG) 4 which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education to promote lifelong opportunities for all. The National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) has established District Steering Committees (DCSs) in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North-West and the Eastern Cape to strengthen the functioning of districts. The DSCs also recognize significance of learning to read as a catalyst and enabler to improve literacy in schools and communities.
To support the objective of the UNSDG 4, 26 000 reading champions were employed through the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) to facilitate the Read to Lead campaign by working alongside teachers in 13 675 primary schools to activate reading for meaning activities with learners.