National Readathon on Combating Drought

he annual Readathon, run by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, is a week-long reading campaign which focuses on exciting activities and encourages the appreciation of the joy of reading, with the main objective of nurturing a culture of reading in Namibia.

This event is held in schools during the last week of September which is Readathon Week, and the Friday of that week is Readathon Day. From Monday to Thursday, a variety of reading-related activities are organised by schools.

On Friday, all schools set aside a scheduled time to celebrate the activities done throughout the week. The best performers in the various activities are awarded gifts and/or certificates to motivate them to read more.

The Readathon also seeks to address the topical issues plaguing our country. As such, this year’s national Readathon will be celebrated under the theme ‘Read Namibia: Combat Drought to Improve Food Security’ from the 23 to 27 September.

“Namibia has been experiencing persistent drought for the past three years, which has caused farmers to de-stock and has affected over a quarter of the population, who have no food security. It is imperative that while we celebrate reading, we also take time to educate our youth on drought issues,” a statement on the theme read.

The benefits of encouraging reading for pleasure range from pupils acquiring literacy skills, oral language and writing skills, and even memory boosting to life skills needed in the future.

During this month, children are encouraged to read good, meaningful books as this will equip them for the challenges they will face in the future.

The month of September is a reading month for both young and old. It houses important calendar days, International Literacy Day and the national Readathon.

Concerning these events, Hellen Spargo from Read Namibia said: “These two events are mainly for one purpose, which is to create a reading, informed and knowledgeable society. It is public knowledge that the world’s economy is becoming increasingly knowledge-based, and as a country, we aim to be knowledge-based by 2030, hence the need for literacy; particularly reading among the young has become a priority.

Dr Seuss says the more you read, the more you know and the more places you will go, so what better way to travel the world far and wide than through a book? While it may seem easier to watch a movie than read a physical book, Spargo advises everyone to take time to read.

“Yes, a movie also depicts a story and can be beautiful, moving and entertaining to watch. However, it makes one lazy to think and to create their own images whereas through reading a book, one’s creativity and imagination is stimulated,” she said.

“I appeal to every community member, parent or teacher to encourage our children to read. Let us not deprive the Namibian child an opportunity to be creative, informed and knowledgeable but let us make sure we make a difference in their lives and create a better future for this nation.”

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