Lack of reading in schools is shameful

 READING increases the understanding of students, improve their English proficiency, both spoken and written and more importantly increase their analytical skills to analyse policy issues and able to formulate valid opinions. 

Reading is the key to success in education and in life, as many educationist and scholars would often affirm. 

From colonial period up to the introduction of utcome based education (OBE) system after independence, reading is often stressed in schools and particularly at the primary level. 

Every class is often allocated two to three reading times in a week. They sit in reading groups and read one by one in a cycle. 

This reading exercise has been proven to help students in their English proficiency. Even a grade eight or a grade ten drop out student can speak and write English very fluently.  

Moreover, reading helped many succeed in life as they possess analytical skills that help them to build in-depth knowledge and experience on many public policy issues and many have assumed leadership roles in communities in all walks of life. 

The lack of reading has resulted in many students not reading PNG books written by authors Paulias Matane, Albert Maori Kiki, Vincent Eri, Steven Winduo, Russel Soaba, John Kasaipwaloa, Ignatius Kilage, Michael Somare, and many others. 

It is sad to see that the students don’t read the stories about their country, the stories that pertain to our political history, our culture and our people. 

Consequently, they have not only a lack of knowledge and understanding of our country’s political and cultural backgrounds but also have no appreciation of what our PNG authors have done.

They also have no motivation to become authors to keep the story of PNG going through writing.

Students unable to read at upper-primaries and high schools depict the level of our education system, which is a very weak and low quality education system. 

The question one has to ask now is what is the use of free education policy with very low education system and how will this weak system facilitate the government’s policy on no examinations for grade 8 and grade 10 beginning next year. 

The policies simply imply that the whole lot of students will ride to grade 12 through free education, whether they are qualified for that level or not. 

It would be a great shame for parents, teachers and the country as a whole for PNG’s education system to produce a bulk of grade 12 students every year who cannot read and write. 

Terence Kaidadaya, Via email