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The Deputy Minister for Education in charge of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has launched a “Book-Booth” initiative by the Ghana Book Development Council (GBDC) to promote reading among children.

The event which took place at the premises of GBDC was attended by the Executive Director of GBDC and other Heads of Agencies under the Ministry, Staff of GBDC, Heads of some Basic schools and some school children.

The exercise forms part of GBDC’s campaign, dubbed, “Learn to read; read to learn” which has been initiated to create and increase awareness of the numerous benefits of reading, particularly to children.  It is the expectation of GBDC that this initiative will encourage children to learn to read and after they have learnt to read, to continue to read for life. This will ultimately help to promote quality education, increase quality of life and general wellbeing, eradicate ignorance, poverty and disease and help in realising the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Book Booths are stocked with storybooks to supplement the existing library facilities. The booths also have seating areas fixed permanently to the sides and have been colourfully branded to attract the attention of the children to the books. The booths are also to be placed at vantage locations in schools, particularly close to playgrounds where the children can have easy access to the books at all times.

The initiative comes at a time when research has shown that the rate at which children, including adults, read has gone down. The launch thus fulfils one of the functions of GBDC in ensuring the establishment of a suitable machinery for the promotion of reading among all age groups, particularly among children.