On Friday, 24 June 2022, the City’s Training and Development Department hosted a reading competition for employees who are enrolled as students in the Adult Education and Training (AET programme). The competition was held at the Banqueting Hall at the Civic Centre and Alderman Theresa Uys, the Mayoral Committee Member for Corporative Services, was also in attendance.
‘Tat’ uMadiba once said: ‘Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.’ This rings true for our contestants. and I am proud of all these City employees, who took part in this competition. It takes a lot of courage to read in another language in front of a hall full of people. Reading is a critical skill that helps unlock opportunities as we have seen with the previous contestants who have been promoted as a result of increased and improved reading skills. Others have gone further to obtain their matric and qualifications in further education and training,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.
The reading competition forms part of the Adult Education and Training curriculum in the General Education and Training Band of the National Qualifications Framework advancing literacy and numeracy skills for City employees who are seeking to obtain their first qualification, the General Education and Training Certificate.
The purpose of the AET reading competition is to encourage and promote a reading culture and lifelong learning. It is aimed at increasing literacy and numeracy skills for adult learners, and to advance the AET students participation both in the workplace and in their respective communities. The biggest asset of the City of Cape Town is our staff, and we need to invest and build capacity to ensure that we deliver services to our customers in a professional and proficient manner.
Contestants competed at AET Levels 1 to 4 offered on the programme, in the General Education and Training Band. The winners of the first, second and third place were awarded trophies according to their reading abilities for AET Levels 1 to 4.
The winners are:
- Level 1 : Nosipho Gatyeni
- Level 2 Veronica Pekeur
- Level 3 Ralph Pekeur
- Level 4 Martin van Niekerk
‘A mind that can read is a mind enlightened. Thus, I encourage the contestants to keep on reading, and most importantly, to enjoy the journey while doing so,’ said Alderman Uys.
