Central University empowers Miotso youth through reading

The Central University (CU) Library Directorate has launched a literacy programme within the Miotso community aimed at empowering young people through reading.

The intervention, which involves the establishment of a Reading Club at the Dawhenya D.A Basic ‘C’ School, is aimed at fostering a closer bond between the university and the Miotso community, while promoting the importance of literacy and education.

As part of the collaborative effort, the CU Library Directorate presented 600 story books to the Dawhenya DA Basic ‘C’ School to inspire a lifelong love for reading and learning among the learners.

Launching the literacy programme last Wednesday, the Director of the CU Library Directorate, Francisca Yaba Asante, said as the university continued its mission to promote literacy and education, events such as the establishment of a reading club underscored the importance of community engagement and collaboration.

She said in line with the vision of the Central University Library to strive for excellence in the provision of quality, relevant, current and timely information to raise transformational leaders, the directorate as part of its yearly Library Week celebration considered providing quality, relevant, current and timely information to the pupils whom they considered transformational leaders.  

“Reading, for that matter, cannot be taken out of achieving quality education. For this reason, the library directorate found it important to inculcate the virtue of reading in our pupils at this young age,” she said. 

Personal development

Mrs Asante said reading clubs in primary schools played a significant role in children’s academic and personal development, adding that regular reading could significantly improve a child’s vocabulary, comprehension and fluency, instil a lifelong love for reading in children, enhance children’s critical thinking skills, provide a platform for social interaction and the development of communication skills among other benefits.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Central University, Prof. Stephen Abenney-Mickson, described the establishment of the CU Library Club at Dawhenya D.A Basic ‘C’ School as a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering a culture of reading and intellectual growth.

“This club will serve as a platform for young minds to engage with literature, develop critical thinking skills and cultivate a love for reading that will last a lifetime. We hope that through this initiative, students will be encouraged to explore new worlds, both real and imagined and to seek knowledge beyond the classroom,” he said. 

The Ningo-Prampram District Director of Education, Solace Osei Appiah, and the Headmistress of Dawhenya D.A Basic ‘C’ School, Sabina Akonnor, described the intervention as a significant step forward in the collective efforts to promote literacy, foster love for reading and enhance the educational experiences of learners to complement the efforts of the government in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for inclusive, equitable and quality education for all Ghanaian children.

Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh