A campaign seeks to reward students that read 100 books in a year
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has launched a campaign targeted at reviving and improving the reading culture of Nigerians.
The campaign, ‘100 Books Challenge’, is a private initiative, aimed at encouraging Nigerian children to read 100 books within a year and to keep a log of their accomplishments.
Speaking during the launch at the FCT Archives and History Bureau Complex, Coordinator of the project, Fatima Akilu, said the concept was conceived after it was realised that children compete with many things, especially with the advent of technology, which keeps them away from their books.
“The initiative is to get people to partner at different levels so that we can get books and also get the kids interested in reading because if kids are interested in reading, they will remind their parents and teachers to provide books for them,” he said.
To motivate the children, prizes will be awarded to candidates who meet up the challenge.
Akilu also called on indigenous authors to support the initiatives by donating books to schools and also holding reading sessions in schools.
Secretary of the FCT Education, Kabiru Usman, stated that the loss of interest in reading among adults and children have led to low literacy level in the society.
He said based on such facts, the administration would support the initiative in addition to other efforts to encourage reading among children, including building of a children’s library at Gudu, Wuse Zone 4 and several others under construction as well as organising a summer holiday reading programme for the past two years.
