Kwara Gov AbdulRazaq reiterates commitment to promoting reading culture
The Kwara State Government, through the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development on Saturday, reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting reading culture across schools in the state.
Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, the state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, at an official flag-off ceremony of a storybook titled “Little Bruatai and Bullies” at Government Secondary School, Ilorin, said students needed to cultivate a positive attitude to reading while declaring the State Government’s intention to distribute books across schools in the state.
She further disclosed that the intention was to promote and reactivate reading habits, which were gradually going into extinction due to the advent of computers, among others.
According to her, readership promotion is a strategy adopted by the government to address the issue of falling education standards in the state.
“It will also mobilize the citizenry to read, write and contribute to rejuvenation and actualization of total literacy culture across the state.”
“Government will also strive to provide the necessary support for schools and libraries that will encourage reading culture across the board”, the Commissioner further explained.
Hajia Modibbo Kawu also advised residents to encourage shared reading, saying that children should be educated on the importance of books and reading in their educational pursuits.
“Parents should make books available to their children; that is, lavishly present books as gifts to their children during special events of their lives such as birthdays and religious and cultural festivals”, she added.
Hajia Modibbo Kawu, therefore, charged students across the state to reciprocate the government’s kind gesture by remaining committed to their academic pursuits and shun any act capable of truncating their ambitions.
Earlier, the Commissioner applauded teachers across the state for their commitment to their duties and urged them to shun all acts that can dent their image.
In their separate remarks, the Principal of the Senior Secondary School, Government Secondary School, Ilorin, Mallam Kuranga Yero Babatunde and his counterpart at the Junior Secondary School, Alhaji Amosa Balogun, appreciated the State Government for the kind gesture and prayed for God’s guidance and wisdom to pilot the state to a greater height.
They both thanked the Governor for making life meaningful for the entire school’s students through the prompt release of feeding allowances for exchange students, explaining that the Governor deserves commendation.
Other Schools visited were: Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin; Government Day Secondary School, Tanke; Ansarul Secondary School, Ilorin; Bishop Smith Memorial College, Ilorin; and C & S College, Ilorin.
