An Educationist, Mrs Ewura-Abena Ahwoi has called on parents to introduce inter-generational reading in homes to inculcate reading habits among children.
She said: “In the olden days our elders used to gather children especially in the night to tell them stories and that sustained children’s interest in story telling and developed their reading habits”.
Speaking at the launch of this years’ Ghana Readers Club Week, Mrs Ahwoi noted that children’s reading habits start from the home and urged parents to assist their wards to develop the skill of reading.
“Reading is a skill that has to be nurtured,” she said and urged parents to initiate reading to their children at home to broaden their perspective of issues.
The event is being organised by the Ghana Readers Club in collaboration with the Ghana Library Authority, with sponsorship from the GCB Bank, Golden Tree Chocolate, Kingdom of The Netherlands, EPP Book Services and M-P infrastructure.
The week-long event interlaced with seminars is on the theme, “Reading: A Tool for National Development”.
Mrs Ahwoi therefore advocated the establishment of reading clubs in all schools throughout the country to bridge the gap between deprived areas and the cities.
She also called for Concurrent National Plan on reading, which should be spearheaded by the Ghana Library Authority, adding, “A child who reads becomes an adult who thinks”.
Sheik Armiyawo Shaibu, Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, said children who had improved reading ability have the chance to perform well in their education.
He said reading builds children’s self-confidence; provide greater understanding of cultures and above all makes them functional in a simple way.
He also emphasized the need to extend reading clubs to every community, especially the deprived ones to restore discipline among the youth.
Mr Kwadwo Addeah Prempeh, President of the Ghana Readers Club, said the week celebration was the first in the series of events for the next five years.
He said they would organize similar events in all regions and urged teachers and parents to get ready to welcome the team.
He, therefore, appealed to their regular donors and stakeholders to support their efforts to sustain the programme.
Ambassador Ron Strikker, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ghana, suggested establishing libraries at vital areas such as the Banks, Hospitals, schools where people spend long hours waiting for services.
He said reading is for both socio-economic and society development of every nation and called parents to set good examples by setting up libraries in the home and develop the habit of reading books regularly.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey Constituency, who chaired the event, said the current generation are entangled with Whatsapp coded communications and have totally forgot how to spell correctly.
She appealed to the youth to try and spell out the words on whatsapp conversations and try to correct each other, adding, that “it is the only way you can muster courage over the English language”.
She also urged them to take every opportunity that comes their way to make a difference as well as challenge their thoughts.
Source: GNA