Scholars advocate for change in attitude towards reading

Parents purchase books at the Kakamega Arkash bookshop in anticipation of the reopening of schools, in this photo taken on January 22, 2023. [Bejamin Sakwa, Standard]

Scholars in the country are advocating for a change in attitudes towards reading, recognising its potential to foster cultural and personal identity.

This comes as the world celebrated World Book Day last month, which presented an opportunity to shine a light on ways books enrich lives.

Furthermore, there are worrying statistics on "learning poverty," which the World Bank defines by assessing the percentage of ten-year-olds who are unable to read or understand a simple story - this definition highlights the importance of literacy.

A recent report estimates that nine out of ten children aged 10 in Sub-Saharan Africa live in learning poverty.

These figures are highly concerning, considering 90 per cent of children are missing out on the benefits books offer, and the way they connect to culture and knowledge.

Bridge Kenya Managing Director Griffin Asigo notes that in tandem with teaching indigenous languages, ensuring learning materials are culturally relevant and representative is paramount.

He says that even though books spark ideas and provide knowledge that puts young people on a path to succeed and realise their potential, literacy levels for many children around the world remain stunted.

"Bridge Kenya leads in the mission to lower Learning Poverty by delivering data-driven pedagogy that ensures pupils are making positive literacy gains," said Asigo.

He emphasised the importance of reading books, saying it is a vital link between learning and culture.

Asigo said that in Bridge Kenya schools, Kiswahili, as an indigenous and national language, is taught from Year 1 onwards.

"The lessons are made up of language activities that include listening, speaking, pre-reading, and pre-writing".

The theme for this year's World Book Day celebrations is "Indigenous Languages."

The importance of indigenous languages is amplified in UNESCO's Global Action Plan of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, which says: "It is through languages that people embed their worldviews, memory, and traditional knowledge, alongside their unique modes of thinking, meaning, and expression, whilst - even more significantly - it is through language too that they construct their future."

This enhances the acquisition of language and relevant vocabulary as well as foundational skills and knowledge in speaking, reading, and writing in indigenous languages," he added.