Jinja: Rotarians launch reading culture campaign in primary schools

The Rotary  Club of Jinja has launched a reading culture campaign in some selected Universal Primary Education schools in Jinja City to improve the reading culture of pupils.

The launch that took place at Spire Road  Primary in Jinja South Division in Jinja City on Friday ,was welcomed by the heads of the schools who are among the beneficiaries.

The  president of Rotary Club of Jinja Mr Moses Musisi said the program that is termed Basic Education and Literacy Enhancement Programme(BELEP) under signature theme ‘Drop Everything And Read(D.E.A.R)’ is one of the projects that the Rotary is going to focus on. Other programs include peace and conflict resolution ,child and maternal , water and environment community development.

Mr Musisi said all the  Rotary Clubs across the country are participating in promoting the same program  by donating reading materials  to  the beneficiary schools  to see that reading culture among the pupils in schools is supported not only by the teachers who attend to them.

“We as Rotarians shall be doing this practically by visiting the schools and sitting under good shades and reading together the  story books donated to them.It is also in plan that we shall be equipping the libraries with some reading materials for the schools,”he said.

The  Rotarians split themselves into groups to the various classes and read  together some of the story books that they donated to the school.

The Rotarian noted that some pupils know how to read but there is lack of confidence in what they read because they were not exposed much into the reading culture.

Mr Edgar Rujumba,one of the members in the club said pupils know how to read but they just need  to be given extra time daily by the class teachers to express their talent in reading.

“I think by also creating reading competitions for the pupils in schools can motivate,improve and promote the reading culture among the pupils,” he said.

Ms Agnes Amoding ,the headteacher of Spire Road Primary and with the Special Needs section for visually Impaired  boarding section pupils said they need some braille machines for the pupils,since the ones in place are not enough.

She thanked the Rotarians for the support they are extending  to pupils in the schools,more so the program of feeding the visually impaired pupils in the boarding section.