Inculcate reading habit in children- IWAH urges parents and teachers 


About twenty selected schools based in the Upper East Region have taken delivery of assorted reading materials under a project nicknamed “Learning Improvement Project”, LIP. 

Beneficiaries mainly from the primary, junior high and second cycle institutions were handed over books ranging from dictionaries, novels, encyclopedia, fictions, and reading text books among other literary genre. 

Those at the basic level laid hands on comic and adventurous books to stimulate their interest in reading. 

At a brief ceremony held in Bolgatanga, to the Programs Officer of the Indigenous Women Against Hunger and Poverty, IWAH, Rosemond Akolaa said aside is primary objective of the NGO to advance the cause of women in rural communities, its desire is to enhance academic performance of students through the nurturing of strong foundational skills in reading.
 
Background:
 
It is globally accepted that once a child begins school, the next step is to ensure child learns to read and write. 

However, most schools in deprived communities of the country are faced with lack of reading and learning materials which are often in short supply. 

The inadequacy often result in poor reading habits among school children with the end result being poor academic output. 

It was for this and other reasons why the Indigenous Women Against Hunger and Poverty, IWAH has taken upon itself to provide educational and other reading materials to needy schools in the Upper East Region. 

The idea is to inculcate strong foundational skills in reading among students, particularly those at the basic level.  

Presenting the items, the Programs Director of IWAH and a former tutor at Aburi Girls, Rosemond Akolaa observed that when children are guided and made to develop positive reading habits at their formative age, they will be more creative. 

She said developing reading habits in children also helps them to become creative thinkers as their learning capacities are improved for the better. 

According to her, the provision of the books was made possible through the support of a sister NGO based in the USA called “Mother of Africa”. 

She told Ghana Today that the initial plan was to build a library in honour of her late father, but since the library was not ready for use, she thought it prudent to reach out to needy schools as a way of encouraging students to develop special interest in reading. 

She said the donation was in pursuance to the NGOs objective to supporting women and children in rural communities. 

Schools that benefited from the gesture include Zamse Senior high and technical, Kandiga senior high and technical, Naaga senior high, Bolgatanga senior high , Zuarungu Junior high, Kongo senior high and the Bongo senior high among others. 

Madam Akolaa emphasized the importance of reading in the face of today’s technological advancement, where mobile phones and other telecommunication gadgets have become preferred avenues for reading. 

She therefore tasked teachers to  guide  children through reading and keep records of the books to benefit others. 

On behalf of the Upper East Regional Minister, a retired educationist, Robert Ajene re-echoed the need for both teachers and students to make productive use of the books and ensure their regular upkeep.  


GBC