‘Readers’ Club & Reading Corner’ in Nagaland govt schools soon

Resource persons with others during one day orientation training on Readers’ Club & Reading Corner in Kohima on February 26. (Morung Photo)
 

Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 26

Government schools in Nagaland would soon be connected with ‘Readers’ Club & Reading Corner’ to revive the habit of reading among the school going children.

To carry forward this mission, Nagaland Education Mission Society, Samagra Shiksha Nagaland today organized a one day orientation training on Readers’ Club & Reading Corner here under an initiative of National Centre for Children’s Literature, a wing of National Book Trust India under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.

Kelhikha Kenye, Assistant Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha Nagaland said that ‘Readers’ Club & Reading Corners’ will be introduced in all the government schools with the aim to inculcate reading habits amongst the students to improve the comprehension and writing ability of the children of all age groups.

He lamented that the culture of reading has dramatically declined due to easy access to mobile phones and computers. However, he was optimistic that formation of Reader's Club in school will greatly boost the reading habits amongst the younger generation. 

Annual library grant provided

Kenye said an annual library grant has been provided in all Government schools to inculcate the reading habits among students of all ages and strengthen school libraries in tandem with the activities under Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat.

He maintained that library aids the student in achieving a successful transition from childhood to adulthood by providing the resources and the environments that will foster intellectual, emotional and social development.

“Reading is the primary avenue to all knowledge. It offers access to the information, aspirations and happenings of both the past and the present. Reading aids character formulation and widens horizons. Intellectual development is possible only through the cultivation of regular reading habit, hence reading has become one of the most important factors of success,” he said.

He said that numerous academic studies have established that good reading habits improve academic performance. Further it is observed from the National Achievement Survey that schools having a functional library are a very effective factor in promoting better learning.

Results suggest that in high achieving states, 91% schools have a library where as in low achieving states 62% schools have a library.

The ‘Readers Club & Reading Corner’ aim to enable children to become motivated and independent reader, to possess sustainable reading and writing skills to achieve age appropriate learning levels, to associate reading and writing with joyful learning and real life situation, to develop sustained multilingual capabilities of children and to recognize social perspective of home- school transition and the role of children's literature in the process of building independent and engaged readers and writers.

 
‘Let us bring back habit of reading’

Dr Kevizakie Rio, Joint Mission Director Samagra Shiksha Nagaland stressed on the need to cultivate the habit of reading.

He regretted that today many students are too much into playing games in mobile phone and slowly losing the habit of reading. “Let’s us all bring back the habit of reading,” he said. Learn new things every day, Dr Rio added.

‘Children must go beyond textbooks’

Dwijendra Kumar, assistant editor, National Book Trust India, Ministry of Human Resource Development said the orientation aim at enlightening the participants on role of education officers and teachers' trainers in promoting creativity and reading habit among school children.

“Children must go beyond textbooks,” Kumar said adding that children must read story book, poems, biographies, place of interest etc.

He said that reading allows personality development as well as enhance child vocabulary.

Bratin Dey, officer in-charge, Eastern Regional Office, Kolkata, National Book Trust, India, Ministry of Human Resource Development also spoke at the second session.

Earlier, the inaugural function was chaired by Chungngam Konyak, assistant Mission Director Samagra Shiksha Nagaland while vote of thanks was proposed by Theyievilie Suohumvu, deputy mission director Samagra Shiksha Nagaland.

Mentionably, National Centre for Children's Literature (NCCL) runs the Readers’ Club movement to promote the habit of reading and this movement is considered to be one of the largest reading movements. Through this, 35,000 Readers’ Clubs have been established in the country

NCCL is a wing of National Book Trust, India, established in 1993. It also provides assistance and expertise to teachers, librarians, editors, writers and illustrators by arranging creative workshops across the country for promoting reading habit among children.