Samira encourages reading at Literacy Project launch [Photos]

The Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia, has said there is the need to strengthen efforts towards inculcating the habit of reading and writing among Ghanaian children.

According to her, research has proven the existence of a high correlation between reading and academic success.

She said her desire to equip the next generation of leaders to become critical thinkers is exhibited in her support for reading and writing initiatives especially at the basic education level.

The Second Lady was speaking as a special guest of honour during the launch of a literacy project for fifteen basic schools in the La Dadekotopon Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The initiative, led by a local nongovernmental organization, Gedaid Foundation, was done in partnership with Rotary club of Accra.

The project seeks to help lower primary pupils to acquire basic reading and writing skills, which will prepare them better for academic success.

The occasion was used to Mark World Book Day Celebration which falls on the 23rd April of every year.

The event, which took place at the Labadi Beach Hotel, had the theme: making books accessible to all children, where 6,000 reading books were distributed to 15 basic schools.

Executive Director of Gedaid Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Asafo-Adjei, said he formed the foundation based on the experience he had after completing primary six where he could not read and write, until a Good Samaritan bought him several storybooks to improve his reading.

“This shows that there is power in storybooks” he noted.

He said considering the fact that 600 million children around the world are in school but cannot read, and also only 2% of class two pupils in Ghana can read proficiently, it shows that illiteracy is not only a local challenge but a global canker.

He therefore called on the government, NGOs, corporate bodies and individuals to assist him pay for the cost of printing and producing books to be made available to all basic schools to improve reading.

Mr. Julian Segbewu, the President of Rotary Club of Accra, said Rotary has over one million members worldwide, and has thus embarked on various projects on health, water and sanitation in addition to literacy and basic education.

He further explained that World Book Day Celebration was also a one year literacy project which was sponsored Rotary district, with GEDAid Foundation as the field project implementer.

Hon. Sam Okudzeto, a Member of Council of State presented a rotary plaque to the Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia, and said the club was grateful for her presence to grace the occasion.

Other major educational stakeholders such as USAID Ghana, UNESCO, Ghana Book Publishers, Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education and World Vision were present to support the World Book Day celebration.
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By: citinewsroom.com/Ghana

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