THIS is indeed a very special month in Guyana. It is Education Month. So far, under the PPP/C, Guyana has been doing exceptionally well in the education sector. One has to be pleased that many supporting inputs have been coming from the public. Just recently, the Tain Campus, University of Guyana, conducted a Remedial Reading Programme.
Reading is vital and should always be encouraged. The whole object of education is to develop the mind, and this developing of the mind will only be made possible, if reading in actively pursued. It is wise, therefore, to pause and take a look at some ‘reading facts.’
In every subject area of academics: Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Accounts etc., reading is necessary. Instructions, guidelines etc are all ‘tapped into’ only via reading. Examinations are not  sat with oral explanations (except foreign languages). So it is the reading skills that ultimately matter. But that is not all: the editorial (Friday, September 23, 2011) in ‘Guyana Times’ highlighted a significant factor regarding reading. This is really worth embracing too.
According to the feature, the importance of reading is shown in social skills. The direct quote is operative here:
“If a child cannot read (these stories) and then participate in class discussions, it is likely to result in that child missing out on important social skills. Less obviously, the importance of reading in socialisation is seen in the self- esteem of a child. A child who goes to school every day but is unable to read will experience self- esteem problems. It is human nature to compare one with the other, and if a child cannot read but everyone else can, that child will begin to see himself/herself as less adequate, and his/ her self- esteem will automatically dip.”
So the importance of possessing reading skills is of paramount importance. In order to give a child the best chance of excelling in school, one must be sure to provide him/ her with a strong reading basis, and encourage his/ her reading at home. At school, a child can read during ‘free time’ and it will be a good idea to make school libraries mandatory.