Education sector operators have called for a strategic collaboration between the private and public sectors to achieve any meaningful impact when it comes to addressing the issue of reading culture among Nigerian children.
They argue that there is the need to drive the required investment in a pivotal sector like education if the next generations of leaders are to be globally competitive.
Nnaji Ugbaja, Head of corporate affairs unit, Laterna Ventures Limited, a leading book sales and distribution company says it is the responsibility of both stakeholders in private and public sectors to ensure that children have the right means of information and education so that at the end of the day, they become better future leaders.
Ugbaja while speaking at a two day book reading sessions organised by the company to mark the 2019 children’s day celebration said the International children’s day is a global event that the company uses as an opportunity to encourage the culture of book reading among children.
According to him, “We celebrate this special day because we see it as an opportunity to encourage children to do the needful, one of which is to ensure that they read books as often as possible”.
“Unlike their classroom regular reading activity where they are restricted by marks, this book reading is different from that because they read in an ambience of fun, meeting other children they have never met before”.
He further said that parents need to do more to encourage their children to develop healthy reading habits, adding that books afford the children the opportunity to be exposed to global trends without having to actually travel.
“Reading shouldn’t be restricted to school work but also other books that could help develop their creativity”, he said.
Deji Balogun, director, Courteville preparatory school, Lagos urged government to invest in the training of teachers especially in the public schools on how to deliver their lessons in an experiential way to the children to make learning exciting.
“I will advise that in all school settings adopt fun learning even when teaching serious subjects like Mathematics. There should be ways where teachers can bring fun into their learning for the child. Ultimately, it is not about just theoretical knowledge, its more about experiential knowledge”, he added.
Ugbaja further reiterated that schools need to do more to improve the way they impact children. “There is a need for educators to keep learning as the sector constantly evolves in order to keep up with the trends so as to help the children compete favourably in the global space”.
Amara Makua, a parent who works in the financial sector said the reading session organised by Laterna Ventures is a fantastic initiative which has helped her children a lot.
“In the past, part of the reasons I decided to bring them here is that they struggle, they don’t like to read story books. Bringing them here has helped them tremendously because children learn by seeing and they see other children here.”
Makua insists that parents need to be more attentive to their children and be able to teach their children family values which would go a long way in guiding them.
Albert Biachi, a banker and a parent at the event said that having attended several editions of the programmes, there has been an improvement in the reading and comprehension abilities of his children.
“I believe if you introduce your children to fora as these very early enough, their ability to read as they grow older would be greatly improved. It is a forum to help them very early to adopt those techniques that would enable you to read properly.”
Biachi commended Laterna for this initiative saying it has challenged him to get more books for his children.
He urged parents to be careful so as not to lose track of these children and be able to create a balance between their work life and the upbringing of the children and called on schools to get their curriculum right and measure themselves up to international standard.
KELECHI EWUZIE
