By Olwethu Mabovula (olwethum@thenewage.co.za)
Empowering pupils in informal settlements through reading has become a priority to the Department of Education, with the department donating a library today together with the Monash University.
The library will be officially handed over to Zandspruit Primary School by the MEC of Education in Gauteng, Barbara Creecy.
The school had no library before efforts to donate were made. It was not long ago when Saturday classes were adopted by former Monash University student Krishna Khetia, who died in a car accident in 2010 and had envisioned better resources to help uplift pupils.
Khetia was passionate about making a difference in the local community and would spend her Saturdays tutoring children in an effort to improve literacy.
The South African campus of the Australian Monash University adopted Zandspruit Primary School and will be supporting the school with various initiatives.
The library has a computer literacy centre to improve academic performance at high school level by promoting reading in primary school children.
The project comprises two libraries within the informal settlement of Zandspruit, which is home to more than 12 000 families who were without access to libraries.
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