Parents and guardians are being impressed upon to help foster the habit of reading in children from a tender age for enhanced academic performance.
Education sector stakeholders at the second edition of the National Reading Festival, 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, involve families and communities in literacy initiatives to encourage children to read, increase access to reading materials and foster collaboration & advocacy.
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. Only eight 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 stakeholders, including development partners, stressed the crucial role parents and guardians play in cultivating reading habits in children from a young age – especially by ensuring children get access to storybooks and other reading material to develop their interest in reading.
Senior Lecturer-Department of Early Childhood, University of Education (UEW) and Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Salome Praise Otaami observes that good reading habits promote firm academic success. “Reading uncovers hidden treasures in pictures, illustrations and sketches.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Education, John Ntim Fordjour, in a speech read on his behalf indicated 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 to children and demonstrate same, as reading has no age-limit.
Also, Education Office Director-United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Rasheena Reid iterated that reading is critical foundation to children’s overall development, including critical thinking and communication.
Communities have also been urged to partake in literacy initiatives by organising reading challenges in schools, create community book exchange, or host storytelling nights when children can share their favourite tales.
