News

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR

KANTOOR VAN DIE UITVOERENDE BURGEMEESTER

IOFISI KA SODOLOPHU

7 September 2024

“VALUES”

Mayor endorses new publication for ECD learners in Cederberg and Matzikama

On 5 September 2024, Dr Ruben Richards, the Executive Mayor of the Cederberg endorsed and expressed thanks for the publication of a new book for ECD learners and teachers entitled “VALUES”.  The book is written in Afrikaans and targets Afrikaans speaking ECD learners and teachers.  An English translation is in the pipeline.  The book teaches 10 values: Gratitude, Good manners, Responsibility, Obedience, Self-acceptance, Self-control, Sharing, Love/caring, Honesty, and Respect.

The book was published by the Kinder Akademie headed by Dr Thys Smit and supported by the West Coast District Municipality.  One hundred copies of the book were sponsored by a private sector company, Asla, specifically for ECD’s in Cederberg and Matzikama.

The book launch ceremony took place in Clanwilliam and was attended by ECD teachers, the sponsor and municipal staff, the Ward Councillor Maxwell Heins and Councillor Leone Venter representing the West Coast District Municipality.  In his speech, the Executive Mayor expressed a word of thanks to all who made the publication possible.  The Mayor reminded everyone that the teacher is really the uber-parent who often enjoys more authority over the child than the parent.  The Mayor thanked the ECD teachers by saying:

To the teachers I want to take a bow and say thank you a million times for your dedication and care for our children. 

The Mayor concluded his speech as follows:  

I conclude my speech by saying the following.  I am a writer myself and so I have a deep appreciation for the written word.  However, I am a realist and I reluctantly accept that most people do not read books unless they learn from a young age to love reading.  And this is why it is so important that children have access to books such as this one at the earliest possible age.  The hope is that they will develop a love for reading. And the bigger hope is that they will imbibe the values as outlined in this book.

I will never forget something a preacher once said. And it was this.  You may be the only bible that some people will ever read. In other words, you and your life are a walking book. 

What does that mean. It means that people learn more from what they see you do, rather than what they hear you say or what is written in a book.  And so I want to encourage the teachers here today.  These young children will see the book, they will flip through the pages and hopefully they will eventually comprehend the significance of the 10 values which are taught in this book.

But here is the fact of life:  The children are going to learn these values by observing how you as the teacher, how we are the adults and their parents live out and practice these values. 

Issued by

Communication and Customer Care Department

Anthony Vusumzi Mlata

Telephone number: +27 482 8000

Email address: media@cederbergraad.co.za