Opening the doors wider for Malawi's Children; thoughts on reading promotion

Literacy involves various skills; reading, writing, calculating etc. All these are very important skills but I regard the ability to read and comprehend what one reads as the most important skill in the development of sustainable literacy. If well developed, the reading skill could have a multiplier effect on the other related skills. Unfortunately and in ways that amaze me, the importance of promoting the reading skill is missed or down-played by most teachers as well as parents in Malawi. The benefits of a well developed reading skill are not known to them or appreciated. However, it is a fact that most parents and teachers would love to see their pupils and children read and pass their exams. But, once again, not many are aware that the reading skill of most of their pupils and children is poorly developed. This poor development of the reading skill contributes negatively to the academic achievement of our children.

Some Observations

Here are a few examples that I believe form the basis of the poor development of the reading skill among our children here in Malawi;

• Most Malawian Parents and Primary School Teachers Do Not Read Extensively
  
  If one was to take a household survey or library survey in primary schools today, it would be discovered that very few parents and teachers have the interest to get a book and read just for the sake of reading. Days can go by without them flipping through a book, magazine or indeed a newspaper. An exam or a class tommorrow might be the only motivator that propels them to read. In short they do not enjoy reading - they find reading a tedious exercise and something of no value. All this I attribute to poor development of their reading skills in the early years of their life - reading for pleasure was not emphasized. The appetite to read was not aroused enough. Most of the reading they had to do was linked with exams. To them reading is for exams and not for pure pleasure or broadening their knowledge base. The result of this is book phobia and disinterest in reading exhibited by most teachers and parents. Sadly though, when the parents and teachers read limitedly, children and pupils follow suit.

In this part of Africa, where food, water and housing are a problem, to think of promoting the development of the reading skill still remains an abstract idea of interest to librarians, publishers and a few others. People are pre-occupied with teaching how to read and not promoting the development of the newly acquired skill in ways that make reading a joyful activity. This attitude has to change - parents and teachers must be the first to promote the development of the reading skill. Failure to do so will mean that our children will be disadvantaged in the global village.

During the good old days when Malawi could boast of a robust and effective education system, there were some other things that those who lived during those days would fondly remember. I will just cite a few ; there was a high circulation of comics in homes and academic institutions, a book was a valuable asset, people read extensively -novels and the like. Bible Society and other faith-based organisations distributed lots and lots of free publications such as tracts and readers targetting various groups of people. With such an environment and unknowingly, we were engaged in free and independent reading all the time in addition to what we weree reading at school. Our skills at reading were getting better and better all the time. Without doubt this had a profound effect on the quality of education then. When I used to teach, I found out that I spent more time in the library than my students. All this because of our differing backgrounds. Independent reading is something that our children lack today.

• Less Priority Placed on the Provision of Supplementary Reading Materials
  
  That textbooks are necessary for our education system, cannot be argued against. But textbooks are not the end in themselves ; they are supposed to open doors to independent and individual exploration of other literature. After the guided reading through the prescribed textbooks, our children should be able to explore further on their own and enjoy doing so. When we teach our child to walk, our expectation is that as they get better at the skill, they would later be able to walk long distances on their own in pursuit of whatever they desire. If they can't walk further, then there is a problem - a big problem for that matter. The same applies to reading.
  
  It is unfortunate that in this part of the world buying of a novel for a child or a school is still regarded by far as a waste of resources if the book is not examinable. "Things Fall Apart" is a good novel but if not on the syllabus our children won't read it. Most of us won't read it.
  
  A check up in our primary schools save the schools that have libraries, reveals that there are no adequate supplementary materials. How then do our children practice and develop their reading skill if there is nothing to read except a few text books and notes they make at school? We as a Nation have a role to provide adequate reading and information resources. We have to provide an environment where our children are able to read beyond the school textbooks.

There are many more examples of poor attitudes towards reading that could be cited here but the for the meantime the two above are enough. What is important to note is that there is need to develop the reading skill because reading just like any other skill becomes sharper the more you practice it. To all the teachers ; we all need to promote the reading skill because all the subjects that we teach require that the child be able to read. Can they write sensibly if they can't read? Finally to all the parents; buy your child a book, read to your child or take your child to the nearest library. You will never regret.