By Ernest Bako WUBONTO
Education sector stakeholders at the National Reading Festival’s second edition have unanimously called on parents and guardians to help foster reading habits in children from a tender age.
The stakeholders, including development partners, stressed the crucial role parents and guardians play by cultivating reading habits in children from a young age, especially through ensuring children get access to storybooks and other reading material to develop their interest.
The State of Global Learning Poverty, 2022 update report by the World Bank indicated that eight out of 10 children under the age of 10 are unable to read and understand a simple story. It also added that only 8 percent of students in grade-three are achieving the required numeracy levels.
These figures highlight a significant challenge, particularly in rural Ghana where disparities in education quality and academic outcomes are stark.
The conference, held under the theme ‘Reading treasures; uncovering hidden riches’, highlighted the transformative power of reading in unlocking knowledge, imagination and inspiration.
The national festival is aimed at raising literacy awareness, involving families and communities in literacy initiatives that encourage children to read, increasing access to reading materials and fostering collaboration & advocacy.
Senior Lecturer-Department of Early Childhood, University of Education (UEW) and the occasion’s Chairperson, Dr. Salome Praise Otaami, underscored the essence of nurturing love for reading among young learners.
She added that good reading habits promote firm academic success. “Reading uncovers hidden treasures in pictures, illustrations and sketches. Each book is filled with ornaments that encourage and enlighten individuals, broaden their horizon on a subject matter and enhance cognitive development,” she said.
Touching on the importance of storybooks she said: “This festival is about encouraging our children to think deeper and uncover the hidden treasures in books. Stories are memorable to all children. Teachers read books in a syllabus to kids but storybooks leave more lasting memories and draw attention; they are important and must be encouraged among children”.
Deputy Minister of Education, John Ntim Fordjour, in a speech read on his behalf passionately argued that reading offers a treasure trove of benefits – introducing children to new worlds, remarkable characters and profound ideas that can shape their lives; hence the need for parents, guardians and all stakeholders to be ambassadors of reading for children and demonstrate same, as reading has no age-limit.
He emphasised that every page turned is a step closer to uncovering the riches of wisdom and creativity – and said that reading can reveal hidden aspects of human lives, teaching empathy and understanding.
“Just like a treasure-map leading us to hidden artifacts, every page turned is a step closer to uncovering the riches of wisdom and creativity. When we talk about hidden treasures, we often think of stories that are not immediately visible. These are the tales that might be overlooked or underestimated but hold immense value.
“Reading books can reveal hidden aspects of our own lives – our dreams, fears and aspirations. They can teach us empathy by allowing us to walk in someone else’s shoes and understand their journey. This is why it is so vital that we encourage our children to read widely and deeply,” he said.
Education Office Director-United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Rasheena Reid, iterated that reading is a critical foundation to children’s overall development, including critical thinking and communication. Therefore, a collaborative effort is required from all stakeholders to effectively ensure access and quality.
She highlighted some key initiaitves of USAID aimed at supporting education in Ghana. “The USAID/Ghana Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES) is meant to improve primary education service delivery through institutionalising accountability in the Ghanaian primary education system. The activity supports efforts led by the government of Ghana – in particular the Ministry of Education (MOE) and its agencies/affiliates – for strengthening system capacity and leveraging existing initiatives,” she said.
Role of Government
The stakeholders highlighted that government also has a critical role in promoting a reading culture by providing the needed resources – including libraries filled with diverse books; trained educators who inspire curiosity; and programmes that celebrate literacy in all its forms.
“We believe that every child should have access to these resources to aid their cognitive development,” Dr. Otaami said.
Role of Community
Communities have also been urged to partake in literacy initiatives by organising reading challenges in schools, creating community book exchanges or hosting storytelling nights when children can share their favourite tales.
“Let us turn our neighbourhoods into vibrant hubs of literacy, where every child feels inspired to explore the hidden riches within books,” the deputy minister appealed.
The National Reading Festival
The National Reading Festival is about celebrating and boosting the love for reading among Ghanaian children, youth and their communities. Building on past literacy initiatives, the festival recognises that while access to education has improved, many students in Ghana still face challenges with reading.
It is designed as a fun, inclusive space where reading isn’t just seen as schoolwork but also an enjoyable, valuable part of daily life. It invites parents, teachers, community leaders and students to come together in support of literacy – thus helping children develop a lasting interest in books.
