Ministry of Education to launch reading programme

Accra, Sept. 24, GNA - Miss Christine Churcher, Minister of State in charge of Basic, Secondary and Girl Child Education, on Wednesday said the Ministry would soon launch a programme code named "Read A Book A Week" to encourage reading among the populace.

The programme is to help children in basic schools to know how important it is to read and the need to read everyday and that making time to read is more important than watching television everyday. Mrs Churcher said this when the Nelson Thornes Publishers in the UK made a donation of books worth 200 million cedis through their local representatives, Minerva Books and Stationery Supplies to the Ghana Library Board.

She said speaking in the English Language grows and improves only when new words learnt through reading were used in everyday language. Mr Fred Reimmer, Managing Director of the Local Office, said the poor reading habit of pupils was part of the mass failure being recorded not only in English Language but also in other subjects in school examinations.

He said Nelson Thornes Company donated the books following an appeal by the Director of the Ghana Library Board, Mrs Susan Minyilla when they visited Ghana some two years ago.

Mr Reimmer said reading is a life-long asset and needed a strong foundation to build on.

He appealed to stakeholders in education, especially parents and teachers, to help their children by encouraging them to develop the reading habit.

Mrs Minyilla, who received the books, said the library had over the years depended on donations and asked for more.