Mr Kufuor, who hosted 50 children from the Odododiodio Constituency at his residence in Accra to read with them, said: “Reading is the first tool of education and I am happy that children will benefit from this arrangement by the Tigo Shelter for Education programme and Raising Readers Foundation to encourage and cultivate reading among Ghanaian children.
“The wisdom of elders is captured in books and in reading; we learn wisdom through what others have put in books.
“If you want to be a bright student or pupil, you must learn to read,” he added.
The former President, who applauded the progress made so far by the initiative, urged the children from six-13 years to take up reading seriously as it was one of the ways for them to gain insight into the world around them.
Passionate about education, Mr Kufuor called on parents and teachers to assist children in cultivating the habit at an early-stage.
“We see that language is changing but let us not rush children through the early stages of education on abbreviated words and slangs. Let them learn to read properly the traditional way and then learn to do their Maths properly before we resort to the use of IT.”
He also used the occasion to donate books to the children and encouraged them to make good use of the resources.
The Raising Readers initiative is a partnership between Tigo’s Shelter for Education programme and Raising Readers Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that is committed to encouraging children to read and supported by Cowbell, Zoomlion and the EIB Network.
Since the launch in April, the initiative has benefited more than 800 children in the Odododiodio constituency and seeks to reach out to others more in other constituencies in the coming weeks.
It has also received support from journalists, authors, child advocates and head of public institutions such as Blogger Ameyaw Debrah, National Commission on Civic Education Chairperson, Josephine Nkrumah, TV personality Baisiwa Dowuona-Hammond, Sports journalist, Michael Oti-Adjei, among others, who serve as reading ambassadors.
GNA
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