Education ministry calling for input into reading promotion
THE Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has called for wider public participation in the promotion of a reading culture in Cambodia, as it prepares to celebrate the 9th National Reading Day on March 11. The theme for this year’s festivities will be “Reading is the foundation for everyone in life”.
On February 15, the ministry announced that it is seeking public input into how to best promote the reading habit, and invited people to submit images and videos. The ministry will select the best content from the public and share it to its official Facebook page.
Ministry spokesperson Khuon
Vicheka explained that National Reading Day is celebrated on the birthday of the late, highly revered Supreme Patriarch Chuon Nath to remind the public of his heroic work to preserve Khmer literature when the Kingdom was a French colony.
The day is organised each year to promote Khmer literature, promote a reading culture, enhance people’s reading ability and writing, and contribute to the protection of Khmer culture to everyone, especially students.
“This year’s theme, ‘Reading is the foundation for everyone in life’, aims to push the idea that education is important and that we should all be lifelong learners. We can all continue learning forever, through reading,” she said.
She urged all stakeholders to come up with ideas to promote a wider reading culture, and encourage the next generation to become avid readers.
Kong Samneang, head of the Federation of Education Services in Cambodia, supported the event, and expressed hope that people will share their ideas about how to encourage more people to read.
“Currently, the reading sector in Cambodia is not bad. It has been progressing gradually, thanks to the close attention of the education ministry, its partner organisations and educational institutions. I especially want to help students in remote rural areas who are struggling to expand their knowledge,” he said.
The ministry said it is estimated that 30 to 40 per cent of the world’s children are illiterate or cannot write properly, a figure which equals about 500 million young people worldwide.
To mark National Reading Day 2024, the ministry will organise book fairs, essay and poetry competitions, as well as other programmes that will encourage people to express themselves through the written word.