The SACEE Oracy Project
The SACEE ‘National Oracy’ project was first set up in 1997 by volunteer committee members of SACEE’s East Rand branch. Because of a drop in membership, the branch was forced to close and the project was then passed to SACEE National office to oversee. A new co-ordinator was appointed in 2001 and the project continued to be run successfully. The project was generously sponsored by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund. Based in Daveyton on the East Rand, the project provided weekly classes to underprivileged children in the area. The classes consisted of basic lessons in reading and writing using the English language, together with many games and activities where the children were able to develop their English conversational skills. In 2007 the project was based at the Emmanuel Children’s Home. In July 2008 however, the co-ordinator submitted her resignation (due to ill health) and the project was once again in danger of closure. The Johannesburg branch took over the ‘Oracy’ project at the beginning of 2009 but unfortunately the co-ordinator was forced to resign shortly afterwards. In January 2011, because of the lack of suitable teachers/volunteers to run it in the East Rand area, the project was closed down indefinitely and the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund was informed.
SACEE is extremely grateful to the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund for their generous sponsorship of this project in the past.
Branch activities in reading/writing projects:
Although there is no National SACEE project currently running, some of the branches are actively promoting the development of reading and writing in many of our South African schools.
Western Cape Branch
The branch runs its own ‘Primary School Reading Project’. The Rambling Readers form teams of three or four who read once weekly to Foundation Phase learners in five primary schools – Windermere, Wingfield, Factreton and HJ Kroneberg in the Kensington area and Holy Cross in Zonnebloem. The readings have been very well received by school staff and the children and an appeal for new readers was supported by a local community newspaper. The branch has a very loyal core of readers and some who fill in occasionally as replacements. The aim of the branch is always to have committed individuals who will bond with the children and teachers and stimulate a love of reading and of books.
Pretoria Branch
This branch organises an annual ‘Creative Writing Competition’ for both Primary and High School learners. This project has been running for many years now and every year the number of entrants to the competition increases and the standard of submissions is increasingly high.
Johannesburg Branch
The branch’s main activities involve participation in a Debating League but the branch does also run its own ‘Senior Creative Writing Competition’ which proves to be very successful every year.
Mid-Vaal Branch
The Mid-Vaal branch of SACEE runs its own annual ‘Creative Writing Competition’ for Primary Schools which has also been successfully organised for some years.