As children are taught in a language that is unfamiliar to them, building a strong learning foundation at this stage is critical. One programme addressing the challenge is the PEP Academy, a Department of Education approved learning model that provides supplementary education after school.
The academies, which were first opened in 2008, have provided 6 400 learners with extra tuition in literacy and numeracy as well as specialised training for 80 teachers. As a free supplementary education initiative, the PEP Academy is not a mere corporate social investment whereby money is given to some worthy cause. Rather, the PEP Academy has been designed to meet specific and important needs because, in four years, it has consistently notched up impressive results and proves how vital this intervention is.
PEP managing director, Leon Lourens says: "Most of the academy learners are children of people who cannot afford school fees at all or any additional education. We are not only helping to promote good results and an enthusiasm for school but we are helping to keep kids at school and off the streets by providing a safe and caring environment for them with this supplementary education initiative. We are really proud to be able to contribute something worthwhile - something that can be measured and tracked and something that is making a positive difference."
To help sustain the learning gained in Grade 4, a custom-made library-based programme has been launched in two Bloemfontein schools where the PEP Academy runs already. The Reading Alive programme aims to inspire a love of reading while further building the reading competence of Grade 5 learners. If successful, the pilot will be extended to all PEP Academies nationally. The library contains 50 books with teacher guides and learner workbooks and the aim is that all learners will have read and worked through all 50 books during the year.
The PEP Academy is run by social investment agency, Social Innovations. The curriculum runs in all ten schools on three afternoons a week and all the children are given a snack before their lessons start.
