Editor,
I am glad to read the letter of Dr. Omarlin Kyndiah captioned – “Reading habit on the decline”, in your esteemed daily dated January 26, 2023. Reading of extra-curricular books by students is an important habit that should be cultivated by every student. Reading of books help in widening their knowledge and building a good character, for – “reading makes a person wise and wisdom teaches him to be humble”. Our parents and teachers should always encourage their wards to read books from their childhood so that it develops into a permanent habit. To do this, it is not enough to simply tell the children to read books, or to bring home a basket full of books. This may, on the contrary, scare them away and breed a sense of hatred towards books. The method of paying two dollars to students for every book read by them, as stated to have been practiced in Dallas, is not correct either. We need first to motivate the children to read books of their interest and create an urge in them to learn new things and then to gradually instill the habit of reading in them. In modern days there are many agents of distraction for children: watching T.V , using smart phones, gossiping on social media are strong attractions to resist for children. As stated by Dr Omarlin Kyndiah, nowadays the reading habit of youth has declined very much. As a result, bad elements in society are gaining ground, acts of violence and vandalism are increasing. Hence there is an urgent need for a conscious and well guided process to be taken up in schools as well as societies to induce the children to the habit of reading books that will provide them with knowledge and mould their character. In every library there should be a Children’s Section, Reading Circles among the children. Specified children columns in newspapers and magazines with the provision of attractive allurements and prizes for good articles and poems need to be provided. In some cities I have come across ‘Book Cafes,’ a new culture where one can enjoy reading a book over a complimentary cup of coffee which I think is a very innovative idea. Unless and until there is a sustainable urge created among our children for reading books and enough facilities of books in place to fulfill their demand, plus social recognition and enough remuneration to encourage the young minds it is hard to motivate the children to read books. It is, therefore, high time that we rise to the occasion.
Yours etc.,
KK Muktan
(MCS Retired),
Via email