THE 145MW Enel Green Power RSA (EGP RSA) Garob wind farm in the Northern Cape of South Africa has successfully achieved commercial operation. 

Garob wind farm, located near the remote Northern Cape town of Copperton in the Siyathemba Local Municipality, will generate 573GWh every year.

This could potentially prevent the emission of approximately 600,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually.

The facility is situated in the Northern Cape province, an area fast becoming a renewable energy hub in South Africa because of the growing number of solar and wind farms in the region.

This particular project was awarded to Enel Green Power in April 2015 as part of the fourth tender round of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

The wind farm is supported by a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with South African energy utility provider, Eskom.

William Price, Country Manager of EGP RSA, said that the facility represents an investment of over €200 million (approximately $225 million) in South Africa.

Construction of Garob wind farm commenced in April 2019.

This work included the on-site building of concrete towers instead of prefabricated steel towers.

Local contractors did the work, with 511 community members on the project at the peak of the construction phase.

Several Creating Shared Value (CSV) initiatives were conducted in underserved communities in close proximity to the wind farm. Some of these include:

Donation of wooden pallets and cable drums to the communities for making furniture;Issuing of PPE to the Health Workers during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic;Provision of 100 blankets to old age homes during winter;Food parcels to 200 vulnerable families at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown;Donating tablets for 135 Grade 11 students;Granting of full scholarships to two learners to further their education at any university within South Africa; andSponsorship of local sport events with 300 young people participating.

Now that the site is operational, EGPRSA will launch Enterprise Development (ED) initiatives such as the Herbal Lean Incubation Programme.

This programme provides mentoring and support services to start-ups in the agri-, bio- and food technology fields.

Additional sustainability projects planned in the Northern Cape province include the installation of an artificial turf football field that captures and stores rainwater; a water purification facility to clean rainwater and address water shortages by providing clean drinking water; and free Wi-Fi to local communities.

* ESIAfrica

THE Department of Basic Education has published an explanatory summary of its Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, which will be published for public comment shortly.

The bill introduces several new regulations around schools in South Africa, most notably additional measures to hold principals, parents and governing bodies accountable for non-attendance.

Other proposals relate to language changes, codes of conduct and governing bodies.

The most significant proposed changes are:

Compulsory schooling: The bill states that school attendance will now be compulsory from grade R. Anyone who blocks a child from attending school without just cause – including parents, schools or governing bodies – would be guilty of an offence and face a possible fine and/or imprisonment.Language: The bill will give government department heads more power around the language policies and curriculums that a school must adopt. This head of department may direct a public school to adopt more than one language of instruction, where it is practicable to do so. The bill also recognises South African Sign Language as an official language to learn at a public school.Code of conduct: The bill states that a public school must consider the diverse cultural beliefs, religious observances and medical circumstances of learners at the school. The code of conduct must also include an exemption clause, and disciplinary proceedings must be dealt with in an age-appropriate manner and in the best interests of the learner.Drugs and alcohol: The bill will update the provisions relating to the possession of drugs on school premises or during school activities, and provide for conditions under which liquor may be possessed, sold or consumed on school premises or during school activities.Initiation and corporal punishment: The bill prohibits corporal punishment and initiation practices during school activities and at hostels accommodating school learners.

THE last two years have been challenging for most Canadians, but high school athletes have faced a particular set of stressors as the pandemic repeatedly disrupted the school year, closed their fields of play and put their training, mental and physical health and athletic aspirations at risk. 

Since March 2020, teen athletes have juggled new models of classroom learning along with sports shutdowns and, more recently, patchy returns to sport. Seven student athletes share what they’ve been going through as COVID-19 changed life as they know it.

‘Rejuvenated’ on the court: Cheyenne Rowe, Ajax, Ont.

Having gone through quadmesters, virtual school, modified semesters and now a return to traditional ones, Ontario high school senior Cheyenne Rowe discovered an aptitude for learning online during the pandemic.

“I had my own time to study and I didn’t have any of my friends distracting me … I was able to actually focus on my grades,” said the Grade 12 student and self-described introvert from Ajax, Ont. 

Still, the pandemic also sometimes sparked anxiety for Rowe, 17, who plays forward for Markham Prep in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association. A lengthy sports shutdown dominated their Grade 11 year, which is a key showcase year for college basketball recruiters, and led to a dramatic drop in Rowe’s physical activity. 

“Usually, I’m practicing twice a day plus lift or conditioning training, but all of a sudden you just go to doing absolutely nothing, sitting at a desk and staring at a screen all day,” they said. “I walked up and down the stairs just to get some motion in.” Solo training and online sessions with teammates gradually grew into live practices and a moderate return to camps and tournaments. Things have approached normal, despite ongoing restrictions such as limits on fans in the stands, they said.

“When I’m on the court … I don’t have to worry about homework or anything like that,” said Rowe, who’s headed to Virginia’s James Madison University next fall.

“It’s like a wall [around us] and inside that wall is just a beautiful breeze, fresh air. And I was … rejuvenated to be on the court and to be able to move and sweat and get knocked around.”

Wary of more lockdowns: Bruce Murray, Halifax 

Apart from still wearing masks, school doesn’t feel too different this fall, said 16-year-old Bruce Murray, who’s returned to taking four subjects daily this term and training five days a week. 

With just Mondays and Wednesdays free from lengthy afternoon training sessions, “I don’t really have time to catch up on any school work after school [most days],” noted the Grade 11 student gymnast. 

However, what the Halifax teen is most worried about is his performance in the gym, noting that he’s struggled to progress due to multiple lockdown periods over the past 19 months. 

Rushing in too quickly earlier this year led to injuries, so Murray is now taking it slower with his training. Yet he’s also concerned that a fresh round of restrictions could restart another cycle of cancelled competitions — which take months to prepare for — and further roadblocks for developing athletes.

“Gymnastics is already a pretty hard sport to learn because it’s usually not things that your body wants to do,” said Murray. 

“Mixing in not being able to train for a couple of months at a time and just not feeling that comfortable with your co-ordination … then not actually being able to get that much physical help from coaches [because of social distancing], it’s been pretty hard to get used to.”

Excited to get back on the field: Quintyn Rubaine-Andre, Toronto 

After the pandemic messed with his Grade 8 year, Toronto teen Quintyn Rubaine-Andre is turning things around both in class and on the soccer pitch. 

When school went online, he had trouble learning math. Now back in the classroom as a high school freshman, he says he’s quickly catching up on fractions, exponents and multiplying reciprocals. 

“I personally love in-person school. I love seeing people and being able to do projects … talk with the teachers,” said Rubaine-Andre, 14.

Though the defensive midfielder kept up with team training online and solo workouts when soccer was shut down, “it’s one thing to train by yourself. It’s a whole other thing to be in the game, having pressure on you,” said the Grade 9 student, who plays in the Markham FC, part of the Ontario Soccer’s Ontario Player Development League (OPDL).After a 2020 season that was “training only” due to ongoing restrictions, Rubaine-Andre has been thrilled with the OPDL’s nearly normal return this year — although he really misses travelling to other parts of Canada and the U.S. for matches.

“At the end of the season, there is usually a trial to be on Team Ontario,” he explained. “I’m really excited to get back on the field … because I really want to show them how good I am.”

Just happy to be back: Amelia Hawkes, Edmonton

Being back in class this term has meant a bigger workload, but 15-year-old Amelia Hawkes has taken it in stride after last year’s pivoting between online and in-person schooling. 

“I persevered: came up with solutions to make sure I can get what I need to get done … strategies and self-advocacy have helped me manage it,” said Hawkes, who plays ringette east of Edmonton with Sherwood Park Power AA and lacrosse with multiple squads: the Sherwood Park Titans, North Strong, Team Alberta and her school, Vimy Ridge Academy. 

Juggling school with practices that span 90 minutes three times a week and four to eight hours on weekends, “the biggest challenges for me have been finding time to do it all, scheduling [and] making sure I give myself a break so I don’t work myself into exhaustion,” explained Hawkes, who’s in Grade 10. The return to the playing field has taken some getting used to: the Edmonton student has navigated through temporary lockdown periods as well as things like cohorting limits — tricky for a player on several teams. Masks now stay on “pretty much until we put our helmets on” and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test have become routine for practices and tournaments.

“It’s tough to keep up with all the changes that keep being made, but for the most part it’s gone smoothly. I’m just happy to be back playing,” said the teen.

A mental toll: Ellie Lancaster, Halifax

Active with multiple squads, including the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy in Nova Scotia and a Canada Summer Games team, Ellie Lancaster is a seasoned pro at juggling school and soccer. 

“Because I started the high-level training at a young age, I’ve gotten used to managing my time, and managing school and soccer, and balancing everything,” said the 16-year-old Halifax goalkeeper.

However, amid COVID-19, the Grade 11 student faced difficult new challenges: virtual school, quadmesters with long classes and a tough stretch of no soccer, followed by an achingly slow, cohorted return. Losing soccer, which Lancaster calls a major motivator and her “happy place,” took a mental toll and made dealing with school even harder.

“It affected me a lot more than I thought. I feel like most parents don’t realize … how much we were affected, like our mental health and everything,” she noted. 

She’s felt a big improvement, however, with this fall’s return to in-person classes, a regular semester plus nearly-normal practices and games. “It’s my outlet from stresses in life … The thought of not being able to play soccer again for a long period of time really scared me.”

A ‘weird mindset’: Edson Cheng, Toronto

Shifting from hybrid attendance and quadmesters last year to modified semesters this year has kept Edson Cheng off kilter at school.

The Grade 10 student is now working with a tutor to help raise his marks and keep him on his dream path to post-secondary education. Losing sports — he plays basketball and volleyball — for much of last year didn’t help either.

The 15-year-old says playing competitive sports helps him channel any feelings of anxiety, insecurity, anger and frustration.

“I can just let it go …  If I was angry, stressed from school, I just play volleyball [and] my whole mentality just switches,”  explained Cheng, who plays middle blocker on his school team at Toronto’s York Mills Collegiate Institute and with Reach Volleyball Club.  

When sports were on hold, Cheng stayed active playing basketball at home and with solo workouts. Even still, he admits he was in “a weird mindset” during that time and felt anxious about when organized athletics would actually return. 

“When the school year [started] and I heard all the sports would come back, I felt super happy.”

Games look different: Jordon Heppner, Steinbach, Man.

School is much easier now that it’s in-person again, said Grade 12 student Jordan Keppner, from Steinbach, Man. 

Online classes “tested your self-motivation at home, always having to wake up and go straight to your Chromebook and look at a screen for six hours,” explained the 17-year-old Steinbach Regional Secondary student athlete.

The teen volleyball player is also back to balancing academics and athletics, playing both for his school’s senior squad as well as the University of Manitoba’s Junior Bisons, the club he’s been with for three years. 

The games look different. Masks stay on for practices and when leaving the court during matches, for instance, and officials nixed switching sides between sets as well as handshakes with opponents. Still, Heppner says he’s good with whatever puts him back on the court.

Losing volleyball early in the pandemic “was really hard for me because my life is literally volleyball and sports,” said the teen, who plays middle blocker or left-side hitter.

Keeping his grades up for university — Heppner’s headed to the University of Manitoba — is also easier with volleyball in the picture. “If [volleyball is] part of my day, it just makes my day a whole lot better … That always makes me happy.”

CBC.com

THE South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) has shared fun, child-friendly resources to keep little ones entertained and engaged this festive period.

Parents can enjoy bonding time with their children by pouring over educational fact sheets written in English and isiZulu.

With information on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the whole family can learn about fascinating marine life off the South African coastline. 

Saambr also shared educational activity sheets that are sure to keep children smiling on rainy days at home. Children will learn plenty of fun facts with the activity sheets on Cyril the coelcanth and Tasmyn the turtle or Rupert the red steenbass.

There is even an activity sheet for Henry the Hermit crab goes house hunting, which is packed with fun facts about what makes hermit crabs arthropods and why ‘Henry outgrew his shell and had no more wiggle room left’.

“Did you know that many of the resources that we have produced are also available in isiZulu? Our wonderful education team have helped us to translate our Marine Protected Areas fact sheets and Ocean Stories for Children,” said Saambr.

All Saambr resources are available on its website, www.saambr.org.za. Click here to access the Marine Protected Areas fact sheets in isiZulu. Parents can click here, to find activity sheets for children in isiZulu and English.

A total of 23 matric markers in Limpopo, including 13 who were based at the Northern Academy Secondary School in Polokwane, have tested positive for Covid-19.

Limpopo education department spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said the immediate contacts of the 23 markers had been isolated.

Chuene however said that marking across the centres in Limpopo is near complete.

“A total of 23 markers have been released from marking centres across the province after showing symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19 and out of this number, 13 are from the Northern Academy Secondary School marking centre in Polokwane and of course their immediate contacts have been isolated in line with protocols,” said Chuene.

“Thus far, marking is proceeding very well and most centres are at 90% towards completion.”

SOUTH African university sport has returned to action after a near two-year hiatus, with six in-person championships and four virtual events.

Karate in kata, chess, e-sport and cycling were all held virtually before the in-person competitions.

The University Sports South Africa (USSA) Netball Championships took place at North-West University in Potchefstroom and the USSA Basketball Championship was hosted by the Nelson Mandela University over five days.

Yoliswa Lumka, Director of Sport at Nelson Mandela University, said: “The championship went well.

“A lot of the challenges were related to COVID regulations and how we would be able to deliver a tournament while maintaining strict protocols, but we had a great team to be as prepared as we could be to deliver.

“I am excited that the tournament went well and that we got to see some good basketball which shows that universities are still good breeding grounds for future stars. 

“I’m really excited that we are back offering sport programmes after almost two years of no university sport, so we have proved that with a lot of communication and planning, we can re-integrate sport into the university sector.”

Other events included the USSA Rowing Championships at the University of Pretoria, the USSA Rowing Championships, and the USSA Swimming Championships, also held in Pretoria.

The USSA Cross Country Championships held earlier this month in Bloemfontein followed.

“It’s amazing to be back and see the vibe, and [it’s] encouraging to see how the athletes have been preparing and how hungry they were to participate,” said winner of the women’s 3×4 kilometres relay Tholoana Peu from the Tshwane University of Technology. 

“We were all so excited and it was amazing to be back.”

* InsidetheGames

PROFESSOR Tinyiko Maluleke has been appointed vice-chancellor and principal of Tshwane University of Technology as from February 1, 2022.

Maluleke is an extremely experienced senior leader with two decades of executive management experience within the higher education sector and joins TUT from the University of Pretoria, where he currently holds the position of Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director at the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship.

Maluleke holds a doctoral degree from the University of South Africa and is a full professor.

Tilson Manyoni, the Chairperson of Council at the Tshwane University of Technology said: “I am delighted to congratulate Professor Maluleke on his appointment. This was a rigorous and highly competitive selection process, and the standard was exceptionally high. Professor Maluleke has an impressive track-record of leadership in higher education. He brings a combination of clear strategic vision, a collegiate leadership style, intellectual credibility, a depth and breadth of academic understanding, and genuine global influence to TUT. These are qualities that the Selection Committee viewed as invaluable to lead the University in its aspiration to becoming one of the top global universities.”

Manyoni added: “Under Prof Lourens van Staden’s leadership, the research, education, civic mission, and influence of the University have been transformed, and we are now firmly established as an innovative and pioneering institution of higher learning both in South Africa and globally. The transformation can also be witnessed by the recent launch of the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW), an ideation hub for global public-private collaboration and invention, designed to respond to the requirements of the rapidly-changing world of work brought about by the 4IR. Prof van Staden’s legacy provides a truly remarkable platform on which to build, one which allows us to establish the Tshwane University of Technology as one of the world’s leading universities. In Professor Maluleke we believe we have found the right person to lead the whole University community in achieving these ambitions,” said Manyoni.

Maluleke is a prominent and internationally-recognised researcher in his field, specialising in religion and politics, as well as black and African theologies.

Over the years, Maluleke has served with distinction at a range of institutions of higher learning. Prior to his position as Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director at the Centre for Advanced Scholarship, he was the Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Pretoria.

He also served at the University of Johannesburg where he held the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Internationalisation, Advancement & Student Affairs; at Unisa where he held the positions of Deputy Registrar; Executive Director: Research; Deputy Executive Dean: College of Human Sciences, and Dean: Faculty of Theology.

As part of his service to the broader society and as an advocate for science in society, Maluleke is also a member of the board of a student-funding NGO called “Get Me to Graduation” and a member of the board of the National Research Foundation of South Africa, as well as the MTN Foundation.

He has also served as judge in the MTN National Annual Radio Awards in the years 2013 and 2014.

“I am thrilled to be taking on this exciting role at a crucial time for the University. Although the backdrop for universities is challenging, the Tshwane University of Technology is very well positioned to take up the role of one of the top universities in the world,” said Maluleke.

“It has been led exceptionally well and has real academic strength, outstanding facilities and opportunities for students, state-of-the-art research facilities, and strong partnerships. My ambition is for TUT to be known as the most innovative, vibrant and exciting place to work or study in South Africa.” 

* Inside Education

THE South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the University of Cape Town’s (UCT’s) Online High School have partnered on an initiative to accelerate access to online learning in underprivileged communities, particularly girl children in rural areas.

In July, UCT unveiled its online high school, saying it is the first university in Africa to extend its expertise to the secondary schooling market through an online modality.

In its pilot phase, set to be introduced in the 2022 school calendar, the collaboration with SAHRC will initially focus on the communities of the Valley of 1 000 Hills, about 50km North West of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, according to a statement.

The Valley of 1 000 Hills has a high level of poverty, with a 48%-50% unemployment rate, and limited access to quality education for the large majority.

It is this fragile ecosystem that contributes to the general under-nourishment, poor health, and emotional and physical insecurities plaguing children in the area.

The pilot phase of this partnership, according to the organisations, will provide resources and facilitate access to a quality online high school education through the UCT Online High School for up to 14 students in the Valley of 1 000 Hills.

“The UCT Online High School’s mission is to create new opportunities for learners throughout South Africa to choose an aspirational school regardless of their circumstances,” says professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, UCT vice-chancellor.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the SAHRC on this important initiative to level the playing field with an innovative education model, and create access to high-quality schooling for all.”

The online high school offers a National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement-aligned curriculum, and enables learners in grades eight to 12 in any corner of the globe with the opportunity to study remotely.

The partnership forms part of the SAHRC UCT Online High School Rural Initiative, which has a mission to promote equal access to basic education (particularly for the girl child); provide advocacy for online education; advocate for policy and legislative changes to promote online education; and ensure the most vulnerable are not left behind in the migration to online education, according to SAHRC.

Learners have full access to resources and a self-paced curriculum where they can progress at their own pace through interactive notes, videos, animations, simulations, practise assignments, and quizzes. Pupils will be issued a learner number to save their unique learning path and data, with unlimited logins permitted.

PUBLIC Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found that the purchase of a new official vehicle for KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Kwazi Mshengu was unlawful.

This comes after the KwaZulu-Natal office of the public protector conducted a year-long investigation into the use of taxpayers’ money to rent a car for the provincial education department.

The department bought the BMW X4 in December 2019 despite a one-year-old Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 being available.

Releasing her report on Monday, the Public Protector found that the purchasing of the new BMW was unjustified but has placed the blame with the KZN Education head of department (HOD), Enock Nzama.

“The purchasing of a new vehicle for the official use of MEC Mshengu was therefore not justified in terms of paragraph 2.9 the Guide. Under the circumstances, it is concluded that the approval by the HOD of the purchasing of the BMW X4 for the official use of MEC Mshengu was not in line with the provisions of the Guide and his responsibilities as the accounting officer of the Department in terms of section 38 of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (PFMA),” she said on Monday.

“It was therefore improper and amounts to maladministration. It also resulted in irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure, as contemplated by section 1 of the PFMA. The conduct of the HOD accordingly constitutes improper conduct as envisaged in the Constitution and maladministration in terms of the Public Protector Act.”

 She said that Mshengu was advised by Nzama that a new car should be bought.

Mshengu also rented a car to use at the expense of the department despite an official vehicle being available.

Mkhwebane said that this amounted to maladministration and had resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

She has called for an investigation into the conduct of Nzama.

She also called for KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala to submit a copy of the Provincial Legislature.

She said in addition, the Provincial Treasury must take appropriate steps in terms of Regulations 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the Treasury Regulations to ensure that an investigation is conducted into the conduct of the HOD and that of the other officials of the department involved in the purchasing of a new vehicle for the official use of MEC Mshengu as referred to in this report.

“This must happen within 60 days from the date of this report,” she said.

CONRAD HUGHES

READING at home is important. Evidence of the effects of reading and a general culture of reading on adolescents in over 30 countries has shown that reading is good for personal development, intellectual growth, literacy and even numeracy.

A culture of reading is more likely to open doors to grow in society. Research from 2019 showed that, the mere presence of 80 books or more at home is likely to predict better social growth and development for a young child.

This is because having books at home suggests a culture and role-modelling of reading by parents, which in turn suggests that the child is exposed to articulate, informed expressions of ideas by the whole family. In other words, a culture of reading at home is something that can give children references, codes and patterns of fluency that are socially empowering.

It is particularly good for children to see their parents reading and for parents to read to their children. Bedtime stories or afternoon reading time are excellent ways of improving cognition, vocabulary and grammatical structure. Discussing reading as a family is also a positive bonding activity.

It can be difficult to find the time to read since the world we are living in is so fast-moving and there are many sources of information around us, distracting our attention. It takes an effort to pull out a book and read it, but it’s worth it.

My area of specialisation is education and there is no shortage of literature on the subject. However, much of it is specialised and will not appeal to non-educators or the general public: books on theories of cognition, social psychology, assessment and curriculum design. I prefer to take a wide view on education when it comes to recommending books that parents might wish to read or even read directly to or with their children – in the cases of the books I am going to list, from about 14 years old up.

Which books to read?

In the 21st century, being an educated person means being a global citizen: someone who knows at least a little about cultures, stories and histories other than one’s own. There are powerful narratives that should be read and shared. Here are four I have chosen, perhaps to read over the holiday break:

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

This is a soaring masterpiece that takes us through the history of South Africa, the inhumane apartheid system, but also core African ideas and social structures. Nelson Mandela’s story speaks to all of us for it is about resilience, humanity and the victory of light over darkness. I would recommend this as essential reading to know about Southern African history, leadership and moral justice.

The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

This is a book I have my 15-year-old philosophy students read, but in truth, anyone can read it from about 14 years of age. It is a congregation of aphorisms about how to live one’s life and contains extensive references to Greek and Roman history and philosophy. What transcends the book is an extraordinarily beautiful prose that takes us to the heart of universal psychological themes such as fear, happiness, accepting impermanence and seeking inner peace. The Roman emperor’s text is a bed-side book on education for life.

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A short, concise and compelling read, this book is about empowering girls and educating with feminist principles in mind. It can be read by any parent, not only those with female children. Following her famous TedTalk We Should All Be Feminists, the author drives home some of the messages we can send our children to prevent them from growing up in the shadow of gender stereotypes and sexism. Many of the seemingly innocuous, hetero-normative associations we make and subliminal messages we send to children are, in reality, skewed against women and girls. This book can be read and discussed as a family.

The Upanishads

This gem of spiritual wisdom, thousands of years old, is a powerful gateway into Eastern thought. The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, who kept a copy with him at all times, said that the Upanishads were his consolation in life and would equally be his consolation in death. The text describes the Hindu and Buddhist concepts of the self, the soul and pure spirit. The Upanishads can be read as aphorisms, in short sequences, and would be a good way to start each day: a few lines or pages bring the mind back to the essentials and allow us to put things into a larger perspective.

Whether parents read bedtime stories to their children, gather around as a family to read extracts from a text, stretch out on the sofa to enjoy a work of fiction just for the pleasure or create silent reading time at home, the essential is that there is reading, that we put aside some precious time to be away from screens and to enjoy the power of the text and the mind-improving benefits that this brings.

To me, educating our children in the 21st century is about teaching them to appreciate the human condition in all its diversity and multiplicity. Holiday reading can contribute to this.

The Conversation