For some time now, the performance of the students in the Nkwanta North District of the Oti Region at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has been nothing to write home about despite the efforts of teachers and headmasters.
Getting the fundamentals right, the Nkwanta North District Education Directorate in collaboration with USAID Learning, has held the 2022 Reading Festival, at Kpassa in the Oti Region.
The second edition of the reading festival was organised on the theme: “learn to read, read to learn,” to revive and boost the reading culture of children, which formed the basis for gaining knowledge and understanding in all subjects.
Nine (9) circuits participated in the competition, Kpassa West, Damanko East, Kpassa Central, Danladi, Sibi, Tinjase, Kabonwile, Kpassa East and Damanko Central circuits.
Mrs Grace Emefa Banibensu, the District Director of Education, underscored the importance of reading to the development of pupils and students, which should be supported by all major sectors. She said this attracted the attention of various “education watchers and partners such as ‘USAID learning’, which saw the need to support GES in early reading programmes.
She noted that students and learners have developed intense interest in TV programmes and social media rather than reading.
Mr Usunyi David who doubles as the SMC Chairman for Kpassa Primary B4 applauded the initiative and called on the Ministry of Education to support with the needed logistics and learning materials to improve education in the Region and the Nkwanta North District
The schools were given certificates of participation and books for the outstanding pupils.