Official encourages parents to help children read

The National National
Port Moresby’s Emmanuel Lutheran Elementary School students with their teacher Maureen Kota (right) reading a poem during the book week celebration. – Picture courtesy of MIRIAM MALAWA

By MIRIAM MALAWA
PARENTS have been encouraged to get their children books to read as part of their education.
Director-general of Office of Library and Archives Kakaito Kasi was at the Emmanuel Lutheran Elementary School in Gerehu to join students in celebrating the National Book Week.
He said reading was the key to knowledge.
Instead of buying children cell phones, he told parents to buy them books to read.
“(Parents) should help children read instead of spending time in the markets or letting children watch cartoons,” Kasi said.
“When the students don’t do well, you blame the education system. But you yourself must spend (more) time with your children and help them to read.”
Kasi urged students to read a lot of books to learn about places they have never been to.
Kasi said his office planned to restore libraries around the country.
It recently started a mobile library which will visit schools in Port Moresby.