Appropriately taking advantage of the present call to “Bring Back The Book”, Deaconess Inko-Tariah has founded Solari Skills And Entrepreneurship Development Centre (SSEDC), to inculcate the reading culture in the kids.
The centre kicked-off on Friday, August 24, 2012, with the opening of Barthurst Street Children’s Reading Club and Reading To Kids Club.
The inauguration of the club which was attended by several children was marked by a march in Barthurst Street by the children carrying placards, urging other children to join the club.
In her inaugural speech, Deaconess Inko-Tariah said one of the objectives was the raising of the total child balanced socially, spiritually, academically and emotionally.
“We are promoting literacy through children’s reading clubs and reading to kids clubs. Children’s reading clubs are designed specifically to encourage children to read more often. It helps to create enthusiasm in children to read for a better tomorrow”, she stated, going further to quote the scriptures, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it”.
She said young people and children needed to develop strong literacy skills to “communicate effectively, gain respect from peers and authority, participate in their communities in a meaningful way and fully contribute to society.”
“Once children know how to read, they still need support to reach their full potential as readers. The decline in reading among children is an offshoot of technological advancements that have brought about overall changes in family, social and economic conditions. Poor reading habits occur in children and young people because reading is not seen or considered a relevant leisure activity and does not form part of children’s social interaction. Reading is considered a solitary pursuit and it is not attractive compared with interactive activities on the internet.
“Children with poor reading skills receive poor grades at school, get easily distracted and frustrated, have behavioral problems and often fail to like school, and often fail to develop their full potential.
“However poor reading habits are associated with negative behavioral patterns while good reading habits help develop a steady and constructive mind”, she stated.
Deaconess Inko-Tariah encouraged parents to read to their children as often as possible at the comfort of their homes and that SSEDC children’s Reading Club and Reading To Kids Club “are to assist children associate reading with pleasure and promote the value of education and literacy”.
She went on to state, “it is of a great importance that children spend time with books”, as a key component of developing their literacy.
“The more exposure children have to books and reading programmes, the more quickly and easily they learn to read. By reading to toddlers on a regular basis, you can begin building the foundation of his or her reading education before they even begin attending schools”, she advised parents. ###
Kenneth Amabipi
