In rural and sub-urban #Africa, the #reading culture is almost nonexistent, and in some societies where the light of education has dawned on the shores of illiteracy, the #reading culture is gradually dying and phasing out. #Poverty, lack of adequate educational resources and equipment, political instability and unrest, wars, famine and the like; #social and #environmental insecurity, as well as security threats from the ever present terrorists’ attacks that have become permanent in our everyday living, have all contributed largely to this demise we currently face. Also, the advent of computer devices such as the smart phone, the android, the iPad, laptop, and others and its improper use has led to this demise.
The purpose of the #book club in the first place, is to rekindle the love, interest and desire for books in kids at various levels. This in turn imparts them in a profound way that aids the acceleration of their #mental, intellectual and creative capacity and capability. This also helps to build the nature and love of reading while creating an in-depth habit that will often stay with them for several years to come or even for the rest of their entire lives. For instance, there are practical steps, I have taken, tested and tried with students in two grade schools and three junior high and senior high schools in Nigeria. Here, they are called primary and secondary schools. This has been in no doubt a very effective approach in reviving the reading culture amongst the students. The pupils and students who took part in our book clubs once every week were seen to do better academically in other subjects especially in their English Studies and #English and #African Literature. And when they took part in competitions with their contemporaries from other schools at their various levels, they also did better in the essay writing and spelling bee competitions.
The problems we face in #Africa can be corrected if Africans especially in Nigeria, go back to the drawing board of education and study it critically to get the proper solutions to revive a dying generation. The need to aggressively revive the #reading #culture amongst the little children and youths will go a long way in fixing first of all the illiteracy problem and then this will give way to #mental, intellectual and #personal development. How can the economy move forward without adequately developed human capital? This can only come about if people are encouraged to read to develop themselves in their various fields of endeavor so that they can be knowledgeable enough to proffer solutions to problems in a dying world. Even taking a critical look at pupils and students of primary and secondary schools(grade and high schools), you find out that children these days do not like to read and study their school #books. During tests and exams they just peruse their notes maybe a day or two to their tests and the result is poor performance and grades. Then, of course the tertiary institutions are not left out. Some students are seen to bribe their way through school because they do not have time to read and study their books. Despite, the scenario painted above, there are still kids and likewise adults who read and love to read a lot anything from their schoolbooks to educative magazines and journals, to good story books and literature texts. And these particular kids, are seen to do exceptionally well in their academics, and the adults doing well in the work place.
So, how can we revive the reading culture amongst the children and youths especially in African public schools? The answer to this question will be the introduction of the book and reading clubs in these schools. This is an already proven technique and strategy that is working and making a huge impact in the lives of these children. Now, what is #reading? #Reading is the process of looking at words intensely and voicing your understanding of them. And so the book club is a forum or platform organized to promote the reading culture amongst individuals or people in a school, business or workplace, digital or online setting. But in this case, however, we would restrict it to the school setting.
The purpose of the #book club in the first place, is to rekindle the love, interest and desire for books in kids at various levels. This in turn imparts them in a profound way that aids the acceleration of their #mental, intellectual and creative capacity and capability. This also helps to build the nature and love of reading while creating an in-depth habit that will often stay with them for several years to come or even for the rest of their entire lives. For instance, there are practical steps, I have taken, tested and tried with students in two grade schools and three junior high and senior high schools in Nigeria. Here, they are called primary and secondary schools. This has been in no doubt a very effective approach in reviving the reading culture amongst the students. The pupils and students who took part in our book clubs once every week were seen to do better academically in other subjects especially in their English Studies and #English and #African Literature. And when they took part in competitions with their contemporaries from other schools at their various levels, they also did better in the essay writing and spelling bee competitions.
Instilling the culture of habitual reading in these kids cannot be overemphasized. One of the keys to sustainable development of the African society is sound education. How can we evolve if we do not learn to read and write properly? And how can we know if we do not gain knowledge by reading? #Knowledge comes from written words whether it’s in a book, magazine, newspaper etc. As #Africans and Nigerians especially, we must take advantage of the media within our reach to enhance our intellectual development and capacity building to raise up a generation that will help the continent and the world at large contribute in meaningful ways to the sustainability of the globe. Electronic media is an added advantage and can be used in the teaching and learning process.
#Ebooks are fast gaining ascendancy over hard copy books if not already taken over the traditional paperback publishing industry. The #ebook on a mobile device customized for kids and teenagers will arouse the unique interest in these children. Today’s kids are digitally minded and inclined. Even inner city kids who are from poor backgrounds can still operate a mobile phone if given the chance at the slightest opportunity if they come in contact with one. Therefore, making these mobile devices available for every African child loaded with ebooks at affordable rates will go a long way in solving the reading problem. Every pre teen, teenager, and young adult can be seen these days either wasting time mentally engaging their minds and brains with frivolous activities on social media. These young minds can be productively engaged on these mobile devices especially in their classrooms in schools on the platform of these book clubs by reading ebooks. Research has shown that kids who have access to #books and contemporary devices at varying levels think better and are more prone to solving problems than children who don’t.
Reading develops the mind and causes brain cells to reproduce themselves thereby reducing the aging process in kids and also in adults. Hence, the ultimate goal of establishing the book clubs in schools the analogue or traditional as well as the contemporary or digitalized method is to help these kids communicate effectively orally and through written words.
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