Reading is a powerful tool for personal and social development. It can broaden one’s mind, enhance one’s creativity, and improve one’s critical thinking skills. However, many Kenyans do not have a strong and consistent reading culture, especially regarding books and other materials beyond their academic or professional needs. This is partly due to the education system focusing on grades rather than student talent, the lack of access to affordable and diverse books, and the competing demands of work and leisure. How can we change this situation and promote a reading culture among Kenyans? In this blog post, I will share some strategies that can help foster a love of reading in Kenya.
One strategy is encouraging teacher and parental involvement in creating a reading culture among primary and secondary school students. Teachers can motivate their students to read by exposing them to different genres of literature, integrating reading activities into their lessons, and providing feedback and guidance on their reading progress. Parents can also support their children’s reading habits by providing them with books at home, reading with them or to them, and discussing what they read. Teachers and parents can also collaborate with each other and school libraries to organize book clubs, reading competitions, book fairs, and other events celebrating reading.
Another strategy is to leverage technology to increase access to books and other reading materials. Technology can offer various platforms for digital reading, such as e-books, audiobooks, podcasts, blogs, online magazines, etc. These platforms can be more convenient, affordable, and diverse than physical books. They can also reach more people across different locations through mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Technology can also enable social interaction around reading through online communities where readers can share reviews, recommendations, opinions, etc.
A third strategy is to create a conducive environment for reading in public spaces such as libraries, community centres, parks, etc. These spaces can provide comfortable seating areas, adequate lighting, a quiet atmosphere, attractive displays, etc. They can also offer a variety of books and other materials that cater to different interests, ages, languages, etc. These spaces can also host regular programs that promote reading, such as storytelling sessions, author visits, workshops, etc.
These are some of the strategies that can help improve the reading culture in Kenya. Reading is beneficial for individual growth, social cohesion, and national development. By cultivating a culture of reading among Kenyans, we can empower ourselves with knowledge, imagination, and curiosity and contribute positively to our society.
