Inculcate the habit of reading in children: Spio-Garbrah tells parents

AS PART of the celebrations to mark Founder’s Day Foundation for International Human Development Aid (FINHDA), has organised an educative and insightful reading and word quiz competition for some pupils within the Greater Accra Region.

‘Read More and Word Quiz’ is a project which began last year in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti Region and this year’s event was held in Accra.

Parents, students, teachers and mentors participated in the event.

Over 2,000 students participated in the school level selection processes held in 166 schools within the Greater Accra Region and 560 students were shortlisted and given orientation at Legon Hall Chapel, University of Ghana.

After auditions, 290 contestants were selected (134 contestants from Junior High School and 156 from the primary category).

Contestants were required to read, pronounce correctly and spell words based on a competitive format.

The founder of FINHDA, Mr. Ebenezer Spio-Gabrah said “the event was held to give children a vital platform to celebrate Founder’s Day as we seek further to encourage reading across primary and Junior High Schools in a bid to help improve the performance of students in examinations, especially at the BECE level.

“As part of the celebration we want to depict or connote to the people that education is the key, because if you are not educated in one way or the other development or personal development becomes a challenge.”

He also advised parents or guardians to encourage their children to read more to be able to become successful leaders in the future such as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first Prime Minster who was an educationist whom they were celebrating.

Mr. Spio-Gabrah added that parents should instigate and love their children to love the habit of reading instead of allowing them to watch these Mexican soap operas called ‘Telenovela’ now common on the Ghanaian screen.

“I ask who the Minister of Education is, and not even a single pupil got the answer right. But when I asked them to give me the names of some casts in ‘Kum Kum Bhagya,’ a Twi Telenovela aired on Adom TV, they got the answers right,” he mentioned.

He, therefore, urged children to take their academic lessons seriously, especially, reading a lot of books and learning new vocabularies, which will help them to achieve their aims and aspirations to be a role model in the future.

He called on corporate organisations, especially, the radio and television stations to give the children some platforms where they air their views on national issues affecting them in society.

The next contest is set for Farmer’s Day celebration, which falls on Friday, November 4, 2016. It will feature a Peace Campaign by the participating schools who will speak to political leaders on the need for peace before, during and after the presidential and parliamentary election on December 7.

FINHDA is a global Non-Profit Organisation which aims at transforming lives of people through educating, empowering and demonstrating love to humanity. They advocate and protect vulnerable people, especially, women and children by improving their lives through health prevention, education, employment skills and others.

Prizes

Trophy for the first winners, a laptop each for the first and second winners, Sponsor Products for all winners from Indomie, Aquafresh producers of Yoyo Drink, Kalyppo and Frutelli) and a domestic tour package by kind courtesy of Sunview Tours for all six winners.

Winners (Primary)

1st – Riis Dzagbatey (Ahtoo Montessori School, Caprice)

2nd – Golda Dzan (Ahtoo Montessori School, Caprice)

3rd – Lucy Gaitou (Calvary Presby Educational Complex, Mallam)

Winners & Prizes (JHS)

1st – Berlinda Owusu (Calvary Presby Educational Complex, Mallam)

2nd – Stanley Samadji (Calvary Presby Educational Complex, Mallam)

3rd – Samuel Amissah (Calvary Presby Educational Complex, Mallam)