‘Reading prevents crime’

Students should embrace a reading culture to advance their skills and shun all forms of crimes, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Secretary for Education, Musa Yakubu, has said.

Yakubu said during the 21st FCT annual book fair in Abuja that government was making efforts to revive good reading habit because reading prevents crime.

“Book reading should be embraced by all as it helps in cognitive development, crime prevention and entrepreneurial skills for our growing population,” he said.

He said the nation will continue to demand quality reading materials from book authors in terms of content, print, illustrations, diagrams, papers and appropriate language.

He said the revised 9-year basic curriculum which started in September 2014 had entered the third year of implementation for Primary one to three classes. He said Primary four to six would continue on the old curriculum and that JSS three students will be the first to be examined in 2017 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) on the revised curriculum.

Acting Director FCT Education Resource Center (ERC), Dr. Musa S. Izom, represented by Ibrahim Umar Sanda said the book fair was the modest contribution of the Center towards the fight against piracy and the use of substandard educational materials discouraged in schools.