MASANAS Backs Five-Year Reading Programme Across Ten Welsh Primary Schools

MASANAS, the philanthropic venture and investment company co-founded by award-winning entrepreneur Mark Sweeny, has committed to funding five years of whole-school reading support across ten Welsh primary schools.

The initiative, which is expected to help thousands of children develop their reading skills and confidence, is being delivered in partnership with Auris Tech Limited, the British company behind reading platform Fonetti.

It marks the first education commitment made by MASANAS since its launch earlier this year and reflects the organisation’s wider focus on backing Welsh entrepreneurial talent and supporting projects that create opportunities for young people across Wales.

Supporting around 3,500 children at a time

Through the commitment, the ten participating schools will receive whole-school access to Fonetti, a reading platform that listens to children read aloud and provides support as they progress.

There will be no cap on the number of pupils able to use the platform, while families will also be able to access it from home.

Around 3,500 children are expected to benefit at any one time, with each new intake of pupils also gaining access throughout the five-year programme.

The participating schools have previously used Fonetti through this year’s National Read-Aloud Challenge and have asked to continue using the platform after seeing it in use with their pupils. According to the announcement, funding was the remaining barrier to continued access.

The National Read-Aloud Challenge, which is funded outright by Auris Tech, has attracted more than 35,000 registered children, who have collectively recorded more than 3.5 million minutes of reading.

In its latest family survey, 88% of parents reported that their child was enjoying reading more, while 91% noticed increased reading confidence.

A long-term commitment to opportunity

MASANAS Founder and Chief Executive Mark Sweeny said his own experience of education and employment had helped shape his view of the importance of creating opportunities for young people.

Sweeny left school with minimal academic qualifications and began his working life at McDonald’s before joining Lloyds Bank in data processing. While working full-time, he spent eight years studying at night school, eventually achieving a first-class honours degree and an MBA.

He later founded Certus Solutions, an Oracle Cloud consultancy which was acquired by Accenture in 2018, before founding a multi-award-winning technology company based in Newport.

Sweeny said:

“I spent eight years studying at night school while working full-time, and I was fortunate to have people who gave me opportunities along the way. Qualifications are something you can go back and get. Reading is different. If a child leaves primary school struggling to read, it can affect everything that comes after.

“That’s a big part of why we wanted to make a long-term commitment to these schools. Wales is where we’re starting, but I’d like to see other businesses get behind this too and help more children across the UK.”

Encouraging other businesses to get involved

The ten-school commitment is intended to be the starting point for a wider programme rather than a one-off initiative.

Other businesses will be invited to fund schools on the same basis, with the aim of creating a broader group of organisations prepared to make long-term commitments to improving children’s reading.

While the programme will begin in Wales, the opportunity will also be open to schools elsewhere in the UK.

Kim Antoniou, Founder and Chief Executive at Auris Tech, said:

“Reading aloud to someone who listens is the most effective thing a child can do to become fluent, and it is the thing schools have the least time for. Fonetti gives every child that listener. MASANAS has removed the only reason these ten schools could not have it.”

The ten Welsh schools taking part will be confirmed during the autumn term. Individual schools will then be announced separately, giving each school the opportunity to share its own experience of the programme.

To learn more about MASANAS and its work supporting Welsh businesses, entrepreneurs and communities, visit masanas.org.