As today marks World Book Day, activists are concerned that the lack of literature available at Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres is stagnating the foundational skills needed for success.
According to the last ECD Census, 61% of centres have fewer than 10 books for children, while only 56% provide age-appropriate reading materials.
Non-profit and community outreach organisation, the Santa Shoebox Project, is hoping to help address the situation.
Spokesperson Deb Zelezniak says they have ordered 70 000 books to be printed and distributed to under-resourced centres around South Africa.
“We are looking at a literacy crisis. 61% of ECD centers have fewer than 10 books. If we look at 42 500 registered ECDs and approximately 40 kids in attendance and that’s an average, there are hundreds of thousands of children do not have access to reading material in their crucial first five years of development.”
#PODCAST World Book Day 2025 | Concerns raised over the lack of literature available at ECD centres around South Africa:
