International Children’s Book Day is celebrated on April 2nd annually. It emphasizes the importance of reading as taught in schools and at home and brings awareness to reading and how essential it is in moulding children’s minds of the future.
Nigeria is currently suffering a crisis of learning poverty as 70% of children cannot read and understand a simple text by age 10. To remedy this, improved access to quality basic education is needed to ensure more children cultivate the skills needed to read and comprehend in the early stages.
The art of reading has a lot of advantages that go beyond vocabulary building. It exercises both comprehension and analytical skills. It also activates one’s imagination and stimulates memory centres as it aids in the recall of information and the regulation of emotions.
EdoBEST building foundational literacy skills
With the introduction of the EdoBEST programme and initiatives like Cross-Grade Ability Grouping, children in Edo state basic education institutions have improved their literacy and numeracy skills. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the average Primary 2 EdoBEST pupil is now reading at the same fluency level as an average non-EdoBEST Primary 5 pupil.
Using a combination of standard teaching practices and a fit-for-purpose curriculum, we have improved learning outcomes for children in all schools. This we have done by investing time and energy in selecting only the best books, be it textbooks or storybooks to improve literary skills and build future leaders.
Today, every child in an EdoBEST school has access to a book and a teacher who has been trained to deliver superior learning outcomes. We are on track!
Celebrating Children’s Book Day
As we join millions to celebrate this day, what can you do to celebrate the day?
- Gift a child a book: Gifting a child a book takes learning a step further as you are not just gifting the child a book but investing in their future.
- Volunteer your time to read a passage or two to children in their early years. Research shows that children who are frequently read to, are more likely to count to 20 or higher, write their own names, and read in their formative years.
- Read a book: It may be International Children’s Book Day but reading a book today will not only be in line with the celebrations but also help you relax, improve cognitive abilities and broaden your horizons.
Happy International Children’s Book Day!!!
