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Welcome back to our Friday "Strange But True" corner! Ready to stock up on some interesting trivia for the weekend? Let’s dive in:
Enid Blyton could write up to 10,000 words a day. She claimed her stories came directly from her unconscious mind, and she would simply type them on a typewriter balanced on her lap as they unfolded.
Before achieving literary success, she trained and worked as a teacher, an experience that heavily influenced her boarding school series like Malory Towers and St. Clare's.
Her stories have been translated into at least 90 languages, cementing her as one of the most translated authors globally.
In addition to her books, she ran a "Busy Bees" charity club for children that raised large amounts of money for animal welfare and children's homes.
Blyton had a severely fractured relationship with her mother, Teresa. Her mother disapproved of her academic ambitions and writing. Consequently, Blyton cut all contact with her mother after leaving home, never saw her again, and did not attend either of her parents' funerals.

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Today is indeed a monumental day for South Africa as the country commemorates the 50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee) of the 1976 Youth Uprising. Every year, June 16 is recognized as National Youth Day—a public holiday commemorating the historic Soweto Uprising of June 16, 1976, and celebrates the power of the youth in shaping a free South Africa. On the day in question, thousands of Black students in Soweto mobilized to protest an unjust education policy by the government regime. The student marches were met with force and many were killed.
National events and commemorations planned for today are anchored around the theme "RESET@50: The Future Calls!" to push for national renewal.
The day serves as both a remembrance of past sacrifices and a call for addressing modern socio-economic challenges, such as high youth unemployment and the need for better educational skills.
This milestone occurs as South Africa battles a severe youth unemployment and education crisis. The modern struggle has shifted from fighting apartheid to overcoming a massive skills mismatch, where a large percentage of young people remain functionally illiterate or lack the digital and vocational training required by the modern economy.
An estimated four million South Africans are considered functionally illiterate.
Literacy is considered vital for today's youth because it serves as the foundational skill for modern education, workforce readiness, and active civic participation.
Modern remote work and digital communication demand strong reading and writing skills.
Reading comprehension empowers youth to evaluate information critically.
Digital literacy helps young people spot disinformation and avoid online manipulation.
Literate citizens can access their rights and engage with complex global issues.
Strong foundational literacy enables continuous adaptation in a rapidly changing world.

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It's Friday morning so it must be time for some more strange but true facts.
The Adventures of Tintin is a highly influential Franco-Belgian comic series created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Prosper Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. Followed by his loyal dog Snowy, the brave young reporter Tintin travels the world in globe-trotting adventures that blend mystery, slapstick comedy, and meticulous historical or political research. The series is renowned for its iconic, clean "clear line" artistic style.
Exactly 24 albums make up the canonical Adventures of Tintin series.
23 completed stories (spanning from Tintin in the Land of the Soviets to Tintin and the Picaros).
1 unfinished manuscript (Tintin and Alph-Art).
The final completed adventure, Tintin and the Picaros, was published in 1976. Following Hergé's death in 1983, the incomplete 24th album Tintin and Alph-Art was published posthumously as a manuscript.
The Adventures of Tintin remains a massive global phenomenon, with over 270 million copies sold worldwide.
The books continue to sell roughly 4 million copies per year, with a significant bulk of those sales coming from China.
The series served as the inspiration for the 2011 Hollywood blockbuster film The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, directed by Steven Spielberg.

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📝 Het jy geweet? Om jou notas daagliks vir net 10 minute te hersien is baie meer effektief as om die aand voor die eksamen te probeer “ingrawe.”

During these tough economic times, Edublox is standing alongside parents.

We’ve implemented a range of strategies to support families who are looking for help and want to give their children the best possible foundation for academic success.

💡 Want to know more? Speak to your local Edublox franchisee about the options available in your area.

Together, we’re committed to adding value, easing the journey, and helping children reach their full potential.

*Services per branch differ, T’s & C’s apply

Welcome to our ninth and final tip regarding how to help your child prepare to attend primary school for the first time.
Helping your child get ready for primary school is a layered process that includes nurturing independence, encouraging social interaction, and strengthening early academic skills, all while cultivating a love for learning. With careful guidance and support, you can make their entry into this new stage smoother and set the foundation for future success.
Your role as a parent—through patience, encouragement, and active involvement—is central to building your child’s confidence and excitement about school. By utilising the set of tips we have posted each Tuesday on this page for the last nine weeks, you’re not only preparing them to meet the demands of primary education but also inspiring a lasting passion for growth and discovery.
Beginning primary school marks the start of a remarkable adventure. Approach this milestone with optimism and celebrate each achievement along the way. Together, you can turn this transition into a rewarding and memorable experience.

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“Visible improvement was noticed in her maths due to the logical thinking skills that she is taught at Edublox. She is now one of the top 20 math learners in grade 4.” – Edublox Parent

The theme for today’s strange but true facts is appropriately examinations. Enjoy and share with others.

Strange but true:
In Japan, the first three years of elementary school (up to age 10) are intentionally free of formal academic exams or grades. Instead, the curriculum centres on holistic character building, emotional intelligence, and civic responsibility.
What are they taught when younger?
Instead of memorising facts for tests, young students focus on core life skills and Japanese values:
• Manners and Morals: Students take formal Moral Education (dotoku) classes, learning concepts like empathy, self-control, justice, and respect for nature and animals.
• Community Responsibility: Children are responsible for their school environment. They work together in small groups to clean their classrooms, hallways, and even bathrooms, as well as serve lunch to their peers.
• Group Harmony (Wa): A massive emphasis is placed on getting along with others, sharing, including classmates in games, and learning how individual actions impact the group.
Why is this model followed?
The Japanese Ministry of Education operates on the philosophy of "learning kindness and respect before learning math or science."
• Developing Brain Readiness: Educators believe that a child must feel safe, emotionally regulated, and socially adjusted before higher cognitive functions can thrive.
• Reducing Early Stress: By delaying high-stakes exams, children develop a genuine curiosity for learning and build inherent confidence, rather than shutting down due to fear of failure.
• Instilling Lifelong Values: By the time students do encounter rigorous, competitive academic exams in junior high and high school, they already possess the discipline, resilience, and respect needed to handle the pressure.

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