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Need for children`s books
2007-10-06 08:36:06
By Editor
The path to education and success begins at childhood. Almost all successful and famous people treasure certain aspects of their formation period—that is—childhood, that charted the way of making them what they are today.
Renowned scientists, historians, economists, teachers, writers—you name them—are, almost all of them, products of a book reading culture, that began very early in their lives.
As it goes, a thousand mile journey begins with the first step.
In Africa, prior to colonialisation, our education system prepared young people for their future occupations, like hunting, farming, medicine, and various other trades.
The induction began at very early age so that children were conversant with customs, traditions as well as their future obligations.
Right now, our education system has changed, such that formal training begins at primary school and ends at university level.
However, for a future student to be prepared, children are encouraged to cultivate a book-reading culture, such that when they are eventually enrolled, they would be already prepared and have their minds in tune with what is in store for them.
Once book reading has become a hobby, all avenues leading to the heart of knowledge are opened and studies become not a tenacious task but an enjoyable venture, until the mature student eventually joins a chosen profession where he would definitely succeed, given the background.
For that reason, we have to emphasise the significance of building a book reading culture in our children, apart from ensuring that they go through various levels.
However, we must remember that in Tanzania, books are expensive items, even children`s books.
This situation directly negates the national endeavours to wipe out illiteracy and bring knowledge to the doorstep of each and every household.
Development is the setting of priorities, and, for a country like Tanzania, education holds the key to the future.
It is therefore prudent for the authorities to review the whole issue so that books are available at affordable prices.
In addition, we have to admit that the prevailing readers` apathy is not something to be proud about or ignored.
We need to devise ways that will reverse this trend and put our population on sound footing in this era of globalization.
Much as there is a lot of discouragements in regard to availability of books and the poor reading culture, there is a bright side as well.
We have been gratified to learn that the Children`s Book Project for Tanzania has scooped the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation King Sejong Literary Prize for 2007 for its efforts in the level of ignorance in Tanzania.
This is a spark in reducing the darkness and also a shining star in the developing world.
We all need to congratulate CBP and its founders for a job well-done.
On the other hand, we caution them not to be carried away, but to improve their performance through transparent and efficient operations.
We need not only one CBP in Tanzania, but hundreds or thousands.
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