Oxford University Press recently donated 20 boxes of dictionaries, atlases, literature and study guides to the Western Cape Education Department ahead of World Book Day on 23 April. The books were hand-delivered by Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant to Equal Education’s The Bookery as part of a school library book drive.

The boxes, each containing Oxford school and bilingual dictionaries, atlases, study guides and new play scripts by acclaimed writers Nadia Davids and Omphile Molusi, will benefit numerous under-resourced school libraries in areas such as Khayelitsha and Gugulethu.

Grant said placing books in classrooms and building text-rich school environments will contribute significantly to building strong foundations in literacy. “Books improve our knowledge and understanding of the world and expand our imagination. But most importantly, children who see reading as part of everyday life stand a much better chance succeeding at school. Literacy skills, such as reading, language and writing, are an integral part of the national curriculum; therefore, putting a book in every child’s hands is a priority for the government.”