‘How to make reading admirable to children’

The proprietor of Noble Guide Academy, Kubwa, Abuja, Mallam Bolaji Bakare, has said that reading should be made attractive to students by using story boards.

Bakare who made this known during a reading fair organized by the school, stressed that the method would reveal the potentials of the students because they would be able to identify with characters, thereby taking them on a virtual trip into the books.

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He added that the method had started stimulating students’ interest in reading. “When you read a book, you are resting on the shoulder of so many philosophers because an author must have consulted widely before writing the book,” Bakare noted.

He stressed that such books would give students robust ideas in addressing societal ills.

“We have stirred the interest of reading in them. Now, they want to pick up more books to read. The more you read, the more informed you are and if you’re are not informed, you would be deformed,” he said.

The Head of Schools, Mr Abdulwasiu Babatunde, said that it was  the school’s intention to address the poor reading culture in the country that motivated the reading fair.

“Our plan was also to inspire the learners on the need to develop reading habits which was achieved,” Babatunde said.

The chairperson,  Mrs Shukrat Belgore,  an author and legal practitioner, said that the importance of reading to societal development could not be overemphasized.

“Anybody who stops learning is assumed to be dead. So, it is important that we catch them young and encourage them to read from this age,” she said.

She urged parents, too, to be actively involved in whatever their children are doing, especially reading activities.

“Parents should buy more books as gifts for their children, instead of the usual toys and taking them out. Read, review the books with them, and make them understand the importance of reading. By doing so, parents would have placed a reading culture in their homes, not necessarily leaving it to the school alone. This includes giving them a comfortable reading corner that would create a fun reading atmosphere for the kids. When they see reading as fun, they would be encouraged to read more and more and the better we get and develop ourselves as well,” she said.

Mrs Ganiyat Olaniyan, a parent, said that the fair would encourage her children to read more and wider.

One of the participants and winner in one of the categories, Mohammed  Jibril, 7, said that his project was about animals adapted from the book,  ‘Sophie’s Snake’ that he read.

“I chose it because I love animals. When I chose my costumes, I knew that a tiger is smarter and bigger than other animals. I’m happy for participating in this fair. I thank my teacher and my parents for their supports,” he said.