Montagu Drive Primary welcomes celebrity to promote reading
1 April 2021
“Reading is fun.” This message was prominently displayed on Montagu Drive Primary School’s Facebook Page.
Learners at the school in Portland, Mitchell’s Plain, recently also heard from a former learner, Jolene Martin, just how important and magical reading can be.
The fact that this alumna was a television personality, anchor, MC and businesswoman, made learners pay close attention to her message.
Martin is especially known for her role as Beatrice Cupido in the Afrikaans telenovela Arendsvlei.
Montagu Primary Principal Anton Arendse said the school had close ties with Read2Rise, a literacy NGO. Read2Rise arranged for Martin to accompany them on their annual programme for Grade 2 and Grade 3 learners at the school.
“Ms Martin attended our school in 1987. Upon her arrival, Ms Martin requested a tie and blazer to make the learners realise that she was also a part of the school’s history. She wore these items with pride as she visited a few classrooms.”
Arendse said it was a pleasure to welcome her back to her school roots and have her speak to learners about the importance of reading. “She visited a Grade 2 classroom where she engaged with the learners and shared how reading was important in her line of work. She spoke about how they can travel through reading by visiting places all over the world and how reading forms part of her job when she must prepare for a scene by reading her script.”
Read to Rise project manager, Roscoe Williams, said they work with 46 schools in Mitchell’s Plain. Over the past eight years, Read to Rise gave close to 200 000 brand new books to children on the Cape Flats and other provinces to promote literacy.