..holds Pupils/Author’s interaction, parade of books’ characters
..as Proprietor advises government to key into the initiative across schools
Determined to promote reading culture among the young ones, the Cabataf Schools, Ijapo Estate, Akure, the Ondo state capital has organized a ‘Book Week’ programme, themed: “Reviving the reading culture”.
The weeklong programme, which commenced on Monday, had the pupils spending some time in the library, participating in the cognitive art of reading, and also engaged in writing short stories.
To further encourage their reading habit, the school, had on Wednesday invited an author to interact with the children.
Yesterday’s activities featured a parade by the pupils who were instructed to dress like their favorite character in any of the books that they have read.
The School Proprietor, Pastor Yinka Ogunode, while speaking at the parade demonstration held at the school premises on Thursday, noted that the week-long activities encouraged them to imbibe the habit of reading at the library and to engage them on parade in practical demonstration on what they have read.
“Once they have read a book , we ask them their favourite character in the book and to dress like that character and we ask questions on the moral lessons and why they choose such favourite character”, he stated.
According to him, this would increase their interest and encourage them to read more because they will never forget what they have learnt or read in the book.
He noted that government can emulate the initiative by introducing the book week to all schools which he said could be organised on a termly or yearly basis.
This, he further stressed, will go a long way to revive the reading culture because social media has taken over outrightly.
Ogunode who disclosed that a story book Author, Tope Fatuase who wrote ‘ The Narrow Path’ visited the school to share his experience with the Pupils, said about three of the pupils have become authors as they have started publishing their books.
While charging the family to also develop the culture of reading by creating time during the weekends like Saturday after cleaning up, he pointed out that it will help revive the reading culture and further encourage the pupils in writing stories.
The school Director, Mrs Opeyemi Ogunode, urged mothers to create time from their tight schedule to supervise the pupils at home, saying that it would help a lot of them in their grammar and build the confidence in them.
She said they can buy them books as a form of gifts while celebrating their birthdays and create time to supervise them because the more they read, they get more interested and can develop interest in becoming Authors.
The Head Teacher of the School, Mrs. Funke Ese charged parents to always encourage pupils to read, advising on the need to make a study time table for them at home during the weekends.
” Even if it is two hours per day, we need to encourage them to concentrate in reading their books instead of watching cartoons, playing games and so on.
They should create more time to study their books ,” she advised.
The programme, she stated is a new innovation and must be embraced with good feelings.
Despite the pupils going to the library before, she observed that they were excited because the programme proved to be a special and impactful one.
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