The City of Cape Town held its annual Adult Education and Training (AET) reading competition in Goodwood on Thursday September 22, to promote a culture of reading.
During the past year, 42 AET students completed their General Education and Training Certificate NQF 1 qualification, and eight students achieved distinctions in the 2015 Level 4 national examinations.
The City is spending R500 000 on AET this financial year, and there are 345 students being trained.
More than 60 students have registered this year to complete their matric, while several others have been promoted after the completion of qualifications.
Xanthea Limberg, the City’s mayoral committee member for corporate services, said: “I think it is fitting that this AET reading competition is taking place in the month of September, having celebrated World Literacy Day on September 8 andwithSeptember being Heritage Month.
“I personally cannot think of a better way to celebrate South Africa’s culture than by reading and telling stories as we did during the competition,” she said.
Ms Limberg said literacy gives adults a sense of confidence and dignity and promotes thinking and social skills.
“The annual competition is also an opportunity to highlight the importance of being a regular reader and create an ongoing passion for reading.
“The AET team contributes to this by encouraging new and current students within the programme to register with City libraries to read for lifelong learning,” said Ms Limberg.