5000 story books shared among all primary schools to boost pupils’ interest in reading |17 June 2022

Reading among primary school pupils are expected to be more fun and exciting now that all the 25 State primary schools in the country have received their share of new story books from a donation of 5000 books made by the Giraffe Book Shop.

First Lady Linda Ramkalawan and a guest officially handed over samples of the different books to Angie Dodin from Port Glaud school and Greg Joubert from the School of the Exceptional School  during a short ceremony she hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family on Tuesday afternoon at the Olympic House, Roche Caiman.  

Pupils and librarian representatives of the different schools present then picked their samples of the different story books.

Other guests at the short but very colourful ceremony were the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family Marie-Celine Zialor; the Minister for Education Dr Justin Valentin; other key officials from the Ministry of Education as well as the National Council for Children (NCC).

In line with the family theme ‘Mon Fanmir, Mon Leker’ First Lady Linda Ramkalawan took the  opportunity when addressing the pupils and guests at the ceremony to call on parents and teachers to encourage children to read and eventually set up a book club in each of their respective school.

She strongly believes that through reading, aside from empowering children to develop, discover and explore beyond tangible realities, when parents read with their children this also strengthens family bonds and encourage families to spend quality time together.

“As the quote by Emilie Buchwald rightly states ‘children are made readers on the laps of their parents’,” the First Lady remarked, calling on more pupils to take more interest in reading as when you get carried away in the story you are reading, this not only reduces stress but increases your vocabulary among many other great benefits.

Catriona Monthy, a psychologist at the Ministry of Education, supported First Lady Ramkalawan in further detailing the benefits of reading noting that it develops the children’s intellectual capacity, creativity, imagination, ability to speak and express themselves as well as their ability to describe things when writing compositions for instance as well as when talking among other great benefits.

The short ceremony also included a short reading session by Sandrine Matombe, a parent and her daughter Victoria and a poem on the benefits of reading.

Shirley Arnephy, the head of language at the Anse Boileau primary school, eagerly shared her school’s and pupils’ reading experience since they set up their book house last year.

She noted that this has encouraged more children to read, share the stories they have enjoyed  and to exchange the books they liked.

She has encouraged other schools to set up their book house.

In her vote of thanks long-serving librarian Marie Annette Lawen also called on parents to  encourage their children to read and to read to them especially at bedtime. She also touched on the benefits and joy of reading.

The accompanying photographs show some highlights of the ceremony.

Marie-Anne Lepathy