The finals of the English Teachers’ Society’s Primary Schools Book Quiz, held in partnership with the Lenz70 campaign on 13 September, at Progress Primary School in Lenasia, kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
Learners from 19 schools tested their memory, speed, and knowledge of books in a highly competitive showdown. In the Junior Division (Grades 4 and 5), Lenasia Muslim School took first place, followed closely by Redwood Academy and Alpha Primary School. The Senior Primary Division (Grades 6 and 7) mirrored this success, with Lenasia Muslim School claiming first again and Al-Aqsa Primary School and Zodiac Primary School securing second and third places, respectively.
Attish Laloo, chairperson of the English Teachers’ Society, praised all participants, saying: “They are all winners,” and commended the schools for raising the bar with this year’s high-standard competition.
Dr Ismail Vadi, convenor of the Lenz70 campaign, encouraged learners to make reading a lifelong habit, noting its power to expand the mind. Highlighting the story of anti-apartheid veteran the late Ahmed Kathrada, who completed his matric and university studies while imprisoned on Robben Island, Vadi said: “The walls of his prison cell were broken through reading and studying. Although the apartheid government had imprisoned his body, it could not imprison his mind.”
Vadi’s Our Reading Tree Project contributed book prizes for all quiz winners and donated additional books to the Nizamiye Academy in Mayfair, reinforcing the importance of literacy and learning in the community. The event celebrated not only academic excellence but also the transformative power of reading, inspiring learners to embrace knowledge and aim high.
Image: Supplied
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