Chhattisgarh: Education minister encourages kids to make reading a habit

RAIPUR:

Chhattisgarh

School Education Minister Dr Premsai Singh Tekam and other officials read a story during a three-minute reading session held at “Akhar Anjor” programme organized in Raipur to mark the occasion of International Literacy Day on Sunday.


The minister also signed a pledge to spare some time for reading as a part of #PledgeReadingTime initiative launched by Room to Read—an NGO working on literacy and gender equality in education.

The minister said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, school education department is doing well with new innovations like digital interventions for teachers and students. He said that children should be encouraged to start reading from an early age.

“The Reading Campaign is an initiative to promote reading among children. I congratulate all 21 schools, where teachers, students and community together made it a success. Focusing on reading skills is important in early grades. I appeal to all teachers to ensure this reading momentum would go in schools to upgrade their knowledge”, he said.

During the programme over 21 schools were felicitated for organizing Reading Campaign at large-level.

A state-level Reading Campaign was underway from August 26 which came to an end on September 7. The drive was organized by NGO Room to Read in collaboration with state government. Interesting activities including reading hour, storytelling by children and parents, rallies, and story enactment by children, were conducted in almost all government schools across state.

A “Read-a-Thon” was also organized on the eve of International Literacy Day on Saturday. Over thirty lakh children from government schools took part in this.

Room to Read Country Director India Sourav Banerjee told TOI “Room to Read is working in close collaboration with government schools of rural areas in Chhattisgarh state from 2007. The main objective of Room to Read program is to enhance the “reading habits and reading skills” of primary school children. A library program was introduced in Magarlod Block of

Dhamtari district

in 2008 with the purpose to develop reading habits among children. From the year 2015, Room to Read has introduced a comprehensive literacy instruction program from Tilda block of Raipur district to support children in developing reading skills and reading habit which help them to become a lifelong learner.”

“Since 2007 to 2019, the programme has increased coverage in 4,034 government schools of District Dhamtari, Raipur, Bastar, Narayanpur, Balodabazar and

Rajnandgaon

and has benefitted about 2,26,700 children across the state. To ensure the quality functioning and sustainability of the program, we have trained the librarian, Grade one and two teachers and headmasters of the schools”, he said.

Since 2018, with the partnership of Education Department and Tribal Welfare Department, Room to Read has started Project Vijayi—Life skill Program— in 179 residential institutions including 93

Kasturba Gandhi

Balika Vidyalaya, 28 Pota Cabins , 53 Ashram Shalas and 5 other educational institutions of Chhattisgarh. In this Project, one Warden and one Teacher from residential institutions got trained, and they deliver quality Life Skill Sessions with girls from grade six to eight.

Speaking about future plans, Banerjee said “Room to Read will implement a scaffold—I do, we do, you do— approach to scale this program that will help to reach a larger number of about 34,000 girls at a lower cost per beneficiary.”

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