Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state yesterday said that the All Progressive Congress led administration is determined to improve the educational sector in the state He stated this at a readership promotion campaign in Jos organised by Prof Lenrie Aina, the National Librarian of Nigeria. Lalong said his administration is determined to better the lives of citizens of the state and also committed to uplifting the standard of education in Plateau.

He said said more qualified English teachers would be employed in the state to bridge the gap of reading in public schools. The Governor who was represented by Mr Peter Maigari, the Commissioner for Secondary Education said the gesture would enhance the skill of learning English language which was most popularly used in writing books. “ We implore that Authors should simplify their vocabulary in accordance to readers comprehension. “ The reading materials should be integral to their environment, culture and traditions, “ he said.

Prof Lenrie Aina, the National Librarian of Nigeria while speaking at the occasion tasked pregnant women to read to their unborn babies saying the gesture would promote reading culture. He said if pregnant women read totheir unborn children , they would be more aware of the importance of reading books to their children when they are born. “By the time the babies get to kindergarten and nursery school age, they would have imbibed the culture of reading,” he said.

He said the annual readership campaign was taking place in 23 state branches of the National library which 13 have been held already. Aina said the objectives of the campaign was to encourage reading among Nigerians, promote the increase in reading materials and identify obstacles which inhibit reading.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, Mrs Sarah Mshelia, the Acting Head of Branch in Plateau expressed worry that Nigerians embraced watching home videos and surfing the internet at the detriment of reading. Our correspondent reports that a paper was presented on the campaign theme’ Working together to build a virile reading Nation: Challenges and Strategies. There were poems, drama and cultural display on the importance of reading.

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Lalong vows to uplift education standard in Plateau