Mama Bee Book Club Trains Southeast School Children On Reading Culture

By Uzo Ugwunze—

Over 60 pupils from public primary schools in Anambra State have begun a free training programme focused on developing a reading culture among children.

The training exercise, organised by Mama Bee Book Club, involved two schools in Awka: Udozo Memorial Primary School and Amenyi Community Primary School.

Executive Director David Bassey stated that the vision of the reading and book club is to unlock the potential inherent in every child in the Southeast.

He said the two selected schools in this inaugural edition serve as a pilot scheme to assess the programme’s effectiveness and implement necessary adjustments in future editions.

According to him, each child is expected to read a book every month, and on two Saturdays of the month, their understanding will be evaluated through a book review process.

He mentioned, “In an era of digital distraction and a corresponding decline in reading culture, we are determined to engage children with books early, lest we risk losing them later when technology completely takes over.

“We’re launching this inaugural edition with two public schools: Udozo Memorial Primary School and Amenyi Community Primary School, with 30 students between classes 4-6 from each school.

“Our goal is to instil a reading culture early on, which is one of the best and most effective ways to prepare them for the future. It’s our contribution to nurturing the human capital of the Southeast.”

When asked about funding for the training, Bassey responded, “The project is self-sponsored. I told myself that if I believe in something, I should invest my resources in it. Thus, I committed my savings to this initiative.

“The resource persons from the participating schools are being compensated for their time, and we also hired buses to transport the children to and from the venue.

“We provided snacks for refreshments and the books they are working with. However, we seek sponsorship from philanthropic individuals to support our efforts.”

Bassey further disclosed a version of the programme allowing parents, guardians, and families to subscribe for their children and wards.

“While we offer a socially impactful version for public primary schools—whose parents may be unable to afford a private subscription—another version allows families to subscribe monthly for their children.

“This will launch next month, while we are starting with this maiden edition to create awareness,” he added.

One of the resource persons, Stella Okonkwo, a teacher at Udozo, expressed that her involvement is driven by her passion for education.

“I have always loved education and have a vested interest in the overall well-being of children. Upon hearing about the programme, I was eager to participate because I studied Childhood Psychology,” she said.

Okonkwo urged her colleagues to align with the initiative, recalling a quote from former Governor Peter Obi: “A society you neglect today will take revenge on our children tomorrow.”

“In a generation where everyone invests their time in phones and television, and where books are neglected, a group focused on fostering a reading culture is a win-win for both the state and Nigeria at large,” she added.