ANDREW MUKOMA writes
@SunZambian
THE Rotary Club of Mosi-oa-tunya in Livingstone has donated books to the former SOS Children’s Village School now called Hermann Gmeiner School to mark the International Literacy Day, which falls on September 8 each year.Rodney Sikumba, the Rotary Club president, said this year’s literacy day would provide an opportunity to examine the position of educators.He said the day would also provide a chance to evaluate effective strategies, governance and initiatives to promote educators and education itself.He said that Rotary international in line with the UNESCO has picked September as basic education and literacy month.
Mr Sikumba said literacy was a key component of the UN sustainable development goals and the UNs 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
He noted that one of the targets of sustainable development goal number four was ensuring all young people achieved literacy and numeracy and that adults who lack skills were given the opportunity to acquire them.“Hence as Rotary Club of Mosi-oa-tunya, we are fulfilling this goal by donating story books and various learning aids to vulnerable schools and communities,” he said.Mr Sikumba said the theme, ‘literacy teaching and learning in the covid-19 crisis and beyond,’ highlights literacy in a lifelong learning perspective and therefore focuses on youth and adults.At same occasion, Livingstone District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Eden Kambunga expressed worry with the poor reading culture among Zambians.“We still have a challenge in reading as Zambians whether young or old. We hope with the donation of books, we will improve our culture of reading,” he said.
“My appeal to the pupils is to take reading seriously as it builds self confidence in individuals. Reading can help you to excel and if one does not read, then it is difficult to excel,”he said.
