Battling illiteracy in South Africa: Soshanguve parents praise Learner Support Programme for helping kids read for meaning

Children celebrating in delight after improving their grades with the learner support programme. Supplied image.

Children celebrating in delight after improving their grades with the learner support programme. Supplied image.

Published Oct 9, 2023

Share

Johannesburg - Recently, parents in Soshanguve seeking help for their children with learning difficulties, celebrated the success of a remarkable learner support programme run by Juliette Mfomadi, dedicated principal of Kamogelo Daycare in Soshanguve and a Scientology Volunteer Minister.

The recent graduation marked the achievements of the students who participated in the Learner Support programme and improved their literacy and school results from rock bottom to the stars.

Mfomadi serves as a beacon of hope for parents in her community. Her daycare also serves as an after school care centre that caters to the children in her community who are struggling with barriers to learning. She has been providing Learner Support to great success and is now enabling children to read for meaning for over eight months and shows no signs of slowing down.

Deeply concerned by the rate of drop outs and struggling learners in her community in Soshanguve, Mfomadi searched for solutions and came across a Learner Support programme offered by NPO Scientology Volunteer Ministers. After thorough training on the skills offered by the NPO, she decided to implement this in her community and use her facility as a space where learners could come and receive support for their school difficulties.

“I couldn’t just stand by idly while the many children in my community lost hope in education. I created a Learner Support Volunteer group to take in troubled children and help them with their study difficulties, and the results are spectacular and beyond expectation,” said Mfomadi.

Despite various school holidays and examination periods, her unstoppable group of Learner Support Volunteers has been delivering outstanding results. Students are thriving academically, transforming from children who once preferred to skip school to now eager students. “The transformation is very rewarding. It gives me hope for the future of the kids in Soshanguve,” added Mfomadi.

One grateful parent whose child has been attending the after school learner support programme, shared this: “My son is now one of the top students in his class, serving as class president and a shining example of a dedicated student. I am immensely grateful to this learner support program in Soshanguve. Since my son started attending this after school programme, I have witnessed remarkable changes.”

Another mother expressed her joy. “My daughter now enjoys learning so much that she even attends the programme during school holidays. When I asked her what she wanted to do for the school holidays, she proudly said she is going to be at the after school care centre, learning instead of wasting time in the street.”

With a dedicated team of eight volunteers, Mfomadi believes she is bringing very positive change in her community. Inspired by the training she received from the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the practical skills she gained from the Tools for Life skills training, she has taken this knowledge to heart and helps learners read for meaning. “It is a really exciting project for me and my team,” continued Mfomadi.

Speaking about her recent accomplishments, Mfomadi said: “Education is very important, and it is saddening to know that over 80% of learners in grade 4 cannot read for meaning. Sitting by and doing nothing is not an option. The students that attend my Learner Support programme walk out of here as independent learners who can resolve barriers to learning and read for meaning. It’s truly remarkable to witness.”

“The Study Technology of L. Ron Hubbard, on which the Learner Support Programme is based, really works,” concluded a proud Mfomadi .

She remains committed to continue her Learner Support Programme and even more committed to bring solutions to the learning barriers that plague her community.

The Saturday Star