IN a bid to promote the reading culture in the country, the government through the Rwanda Education Board (REB) has launched a programme to distribute storybooks in primary schools.The initiative is expected encourage children to read. This initiative is a step in the right direction. The reading culture in the country is still poor and the only way to break this cycle is through nurturing a generation of children who will grow up with a fervent desire of embracing the reading culture. To achieve this, it is important that this culture is inculcated at the lower levels of education. Every school should have an initiative to revive the reading culture. Every school should also have a debating and reading club. This should be mandatory in all schools. The initiative should also target communities by establishing community libraries. Community libraries can equally push this initiative ahead. But there is need to provide communities with reading materials at affordable rates and to get the children interested; for today’s readers are tomorrow’s leaders. This is what is happening in countries with a stable reading culture. To realise this dream, the readers clubs in schools should conduct weekly reading exercises for young children. Reading becomes easier when it is cultivated at an early age. This approach will enhance reading for future generations. But it is not just for children. Adults should also be encouraged to use the library services within their reach. With the introduction of English as a mode of instruction in schools, the reading culture campaign should take shape. Perhaps these initiatives will be the spark that is needed to ignite the reading spirit in Rwanda.
