The UN Celebrates World Book and Copyright Day with Etjendlovu High School

In celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Nathalie Ndongo-Seh, handed over donations of textbooks, exercise books, novels, pens and more, from UN staff, the Ministry of Education and World Vision, to Etjendlovu Primary and High School. The day’s celebrations, hosted by Etjendlovu school in Shiselweni and organised by UNESCO, included singing, dancing, speeches and more, performed by students and guest speakers.

World Book and Copyright Day celebrates the importance of reading and fostering children’s growth as readers; as does it promote a lifelong love of literature for all people and the integration of literature into the world of work. This year’s theme is ‘Share a Story’, which encourages people to share a story that will motivate others to enjoy and love reading. World Book and Copyright Day, established by UNESCO, also celebrates history’s and today’s authors.

During the celebration, the Head Teacher of Etjendlovu High School, Mr. Mike Hadebe, expressed his sincere gratitude for the donations and highlighted the immense need for text books, a running water supply and housing for the teachers at the school. The school’s parents’ representative reiterated the concerns of the Head Teacher, whilst noting that poverty remains a devastating issue to overcome, for the students, their parents and the school alike.

However, despite the challenges faced by the pupils, Etjendlovu school continues to be one of the highest achieving schools in the country. Ministry of Education and Training Representative, Ms Martha Shongwe, expressed her pride for the students at Etjendlovu, of whom, two students competed and won a SADC Essay Competition: a prestigious essay competition run across the entirety of the Southern African region.  

The UN Resident Coordinator continued to share how reading has had an incredible impact  on her life and career, as both an Attorney at Law and elsewhere. She encouraged pupils to: “open and immerse themselves into every book that they have the opportunity to read,” for: “through reading, you are able to travel across the globe, connect with others and other cultures, improve your vocabulary and in turn, you will have more to share with others and you may be empowered to educate others.”