How to Inculcate Reading Culture in the Nigerian Child

In learning how to inculcate reading culture in the Nigerian child, we shall consider the following:

1. What is reading culture?
2. What are the benefits of reading?
3. Factors that mitigate the reading culture of the Nigerian Child
4. How to inculcate reading culture in the Nigerian child

What is Reading Culture?

Reading culture refers to a cultural or community-wide attitude and behaviour that encourages and values reading as an important component of everyday life.

What are the Benefits of Reading?

Reading offers numerous advantages for those who engage in it. They are as follows:

1. it increases the knowledge and understanding of the reader about certain topics or issues.
2. it transforms the reader's mindset.
3. it is beneficial to pass the time.
4. it empowers the reader to make informed decisions about various issues.
5. it boosts the reader's confidence.
6. it enables the reader to find immediate solutions to problems that a non-reader might be unable to solve.
7. reading increases one's knowledge, putting one in a position to be contacted for counsel or assistance by others.
8. it builds up the reader's knowledge of words(vocabulary), which impacts positively on his or her oral and written communication skills.
9. as a student, reading can help you succeed in your examinations.
10. for a career or business person, reading exposes you to innovative and creative ideas that you can adopt and thereby improve your efficiency and productivity.
11. it enables the reader to understand the accomplishments and failings of others (biography) in order to either emulate or avoid the same.
12. it can help shave off years of the learning curve of a venture, thereby saving time, energy, and resources that would have been expended.

What are the Factors that Mitigate Reading Culture in the Nigerian Child?

They are,

1. inability of parents to procure books and computers for their children.
2. lack of access to a library and the inability of the child to borrow books.
3. not having access to basic amenities like electricity. This is needed to read at night and operate the computer.
4. inability of parents to send their children to school to learn how to read.
5. inability of the government to adequately fund education at the nursery and primary school levels.
6. insufficiency of up-to-date books and computers in school libraries.
7. failure of parents and guardians to encourage their children or wards to read not just for examinations but also for self-development.
8. lack of well-trained librarians.
9. lack of state-of-the-art libraries both in schools and communities.
10. the misconception that reading is laborious and should only be done when preparing for examinations.
11. the advent of computer games, social media, Netflix, and other forms of entertainment, which, though have their merits, tend to reduce the time and zeal the Nigerian child has for reading.
12. the fact that most Nigerian parents do not read, and as a result, their children do not see any relevance in reading.

How to Inculcate Reading Culture in the Nigerian Child

This can be achieved by the participation of

1. the parents or guardians;
2. owners of schools where the child is tutored; and
3. the government( State and Federal).

The Roles of the Parents

1. The culture of reading should be instilled in a child at a tender age. This can be achieved by the parents and guardians reading bedtime stories to them and placing before them, books with colored pictures to gaze at.
2. Parents can set up a mini library at home with shelves filled with exciting books.
3. Parents or guardians should schedule time after school for their children or wards to read.
4. Parents should register their children at a public library to enable them to have access to books.
5. Parents should reward any of their children who completes reading a book and is able to narrate what he or she read.
6. They should ensure they enroll their children or wards in schools that have a functional and equipped library.
7. Going by the fact that children see their parents as role models and will, in most cases, do what they do, parents are therefore urged to also make reading a lifestyle.
8. They should reveal to them other benefits of reading apart from passing examinations.
9. They should regulate the time their children spend playing games, watching films and surfing the social media.

The Roles of School Owners (Private or Public)

1. They should ensure they have a functional and adequately equipped library.
2. They should employ a well-trained librarian to ensure the students use the library well.
3. As part of co-curricular activity, a reading club should be established in the school.
4. The students should be encouraged to participate in events, competitions, and programs that promote the reading culture.
5. Apart from momentary prizes, outstanding students should be gifted with inspiring and self-developing books.
6. They should liaise with the government and well-meaning organizations (PTA inclusive) on the provision of electricity (via solar and generator) and free internet service for the use of computers in their schools.
7. The students should be encouraged to use their spare time and holidays to read instead of playing games, watching films and surfing the social media.
8. They should employ competent teachers to teach subjects like English Language, Literature, Phonetics, etc.

The Roles of the Government.

1. They should establish schools with free or affordable tuition fees, thereby encouraging parents to send their children to school.
2. They should provide basic amenities such as electricity and roads in the communities.
3. They should promulgate educational policies or curriculum that engender the reading culture.
4. They should provide grants to schools in the form of books and computers.
5. They should sponsor programs that promote the reading culture.
6. They should reduce taxes paid by publishing companies and import duties on raw materials used for producing books.
7. They should encourage local production of the raw materials used for producing books.
8. They should erect functional and well-equipped public libraries for the use of all and sundry.

Finally, given the enormous impact that citizen education and literacy have on the socioeconomic development of any nation, all stakeholders should step up efforts to make reading a culture among Nigerian youths.