The Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at the Durban University of Technology has been applauded for its innovative programmes that improve students’ experience in university and residence life.

On Friday, 3 November 2017, CELT held its annual recognition awards. The awards were aimed at rewarding students who had been instrumental in inculcating a culture of literature reading at the student residences. The students received accolades for being ambassadors of the Residence Literacy Society (RLS). The RLS is a brainchild of the DUT’s CELT in collaboration with Student Housing and Residence Life Department. The RLS is aimed at promoting reading for pleasure among student communities especially in residences.

During the awarding ceremony, Ntokozo Zulu, CELT’s First Year Student Experience Co-Ordinator, delved into the importance of creating a knowledgeable South Africa with reading communities. “With this programme, we want to promote reading as a tool for intellectual growth and development. We are also aiming to enhance the role of literature as a creative critique of contemporary social issues that affect all of us in various ways,” he said.

Furthermore, Zulu stressed the importance of engaging students in the exciting world of fictional texts published in South Africa during the past decades. “Students that are part of the RLS project are tasked with scrutinizing the work of different acclaimed South African Authors such as Zakes Mda, Kabelo Mabalane and Khaya Dlanga to mention a few. The participants had to write their own reflection pieces on the books they read,” added Zulu.

Neliswa Mtshali, a student residing at DUT’s Persada student residence said being part of RLS has given her an unexpected journey. “I am a book worm and in all the books I have read, I have never read a book written by a South African author. So this project enabled me to see South Africa from another perspective,” she said.

As students shared their experiences with reading and discovering South African authors, the selected students were awarded with certificates for participating in the programme.

Pictured: Ntokozo Zulu (FYSE Co-Ordinator) with Cebokazi Luthuli (FYSE Officer) with some of the students that recieveed certificates during the RLS project’s awarding ceremony.

Sandile Motha