{"id":124452,"date":"2018-10-16T17:53:25","date_gmt":"2018-10-16T15:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/nalibali-recognised-as-a-top-education-innovator-by-african-union\/"},"modified":"2018-10-16T17:53:25","modified_gmt":"2018-10-16T15:53:25","slug":"nalibali-recognised-as-a-top-education-innovator-by-african-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/nalibali-recognised-as-a-top-education-innovator-by-african-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Nal\u2019ibali recognised as a top education innovator by African Union"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nal\u2019ibali recognised as a top education innovator by African Union<\/a>: <\/p>\n

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Nal’ibali reading supplements are available in different languages. Photo: Damien Schumann<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

South Africa\u2019s reading-for-enjoyment campaign, Nal\u2019ibali, took third place at the African Union\u2019s Innovation in Education Prize, rising ahead of six other emerging innovators from across the continent. The announcement came during the AU Commission\u2019s Innovating Education in Africa Exhibition in Dakar, supported by the Senegalese Government and African partner institutions.<\/p>\n

The campaign received this recognition in large part for its bilingual reading-for-enjoyment supplement. The supplement is produced by PRAESA (Project for the Research of Alternative Education in South Africa), printed biweekly in Tiso Blackstar newspapers, The Daily Dispatch, Herald and The Sunday World. It is donated and delivered directly to reading clubs, schools, libraries, and community organisations in the Nal\u2019ibali network across South Africa, with the support of its publisher and the South African Post Office. Since 2012, 37.3 million supplements have been distributed to those who need them the most.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really honoured to receive this continent-wide recognition,\u201d says Katie Huston, Head of Research and Innovation at Nal\u2019ibali. \u201cWe often assume innovation has to mean new technology, but the supplement shows that something really \u2018low-tech\u2019 can have a huge impact when it is built on sound research; when it catalyses ground-breaking partnerships between the private sector, civil society and government; and when it meets people where they are. We want to thank the AU for recognising the importance of innovative solutions to our continent\u2019s education challenges. Together we can give all our children the opportunity and support they need to become lifelong readers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nal\u2019ibali\u2019s award-winning supplement may be the answer to one of South Africa\u2019s biggest challenges: How do we get quality, affordable reading material into our children\u2019s hands? Reading has been shown to be the single biggest contributor to a child\u2019s future school success, yet only 17% of South African schools have a library stocked with books, and very few homes have more than ten titles on their shelves.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn South Africa, books are expensive and very few are printed in indigenous languages,\u201d adds Jade Jacobsohn, Managing Director of Nal\u2019ibali. \u201cWhen schools do manage to get books, they often keep them for teachers to read in the classroom only. They\u2019re simply too precious to risk getting damaged by children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each 16-page edition of Nal\u2019ibali\u2019s newspaper supplement has a range of exciting and accessible literacy resources designed to get children to fall in love with reading. This includes two to three new cut-out-and-keep story books which encourage children to feel part of the process, and provide a sense of ownership of printed reading materials. There are also \u2018story active\u2019 tips that help caregivers and educators extend the story sharing experience, as well as fun literacy related games and activities.<\/p>\n

The supplements currently come in eight of South Africa\u2019s 11 national languages, meaning inclusivity is central to its design. And, with the supplements printed every second week during school term time, teachers who receive the supplement report that children cannot wait for \u2018story week\u2019.<\/p>\n

Huston explains some of the winning features that impressed the AU judges. \u201cNot only are the supplements cost effective \u2013 they cost just R1.55 (11 US cents) per copy to develop and print \u2013 but they\u2019re meeting children where they\u2019re at, with quality, fun reading material in their home languages. This is important, because having a strong foundation in their first language better equips children to learn additional languages, including English, and to succeed in school.\u201d<\/p>\n

These innovative efforts have now been recognised by the AU, as part of a drive to meet both the Continental Education Strategy for Africa goals, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals too.<\/p>\n

For more information about accessing Nal\u2019ibali\u2019s supplements, or the power of reading and storytelling, visit: www.nalibali.org and www.nalibali.mobi.<\/p>\n

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