Reading Culture
Thursday, April 29, 2010
6:58 PM
Posted by
AZNAN
If we are traveling in Europe, USA or Japan and most developed countries it is not strange to see commuters in public transports like trains and buses spending their time reading books or magazines. But in Malaysia we rarely find such a habit being practiced among our people. Most would prefer to doze off while traveling in public transports instead of reading. Why is it so?
I am aware that much efforts have been done to encourage reading among Malaysians at all levels of age but this have not been very successful because we choose not to adopt reading as a culture. No doubt we have been able to create a society that is literate but we have not really created a society that is well read. Despite the many campaigns and efforts by various parties at inculcating such habit, much left to be desired.
As we move towards a developed nation status, we cannot afford to take things for granted and hope every thing would materialize by itself. We are moving more into knowledge-based economy wherein there is increasing needs to focus on knowledge as a source to develop our economy. We have no choice but to develop reading into a culture. Reading extensively would not only increase one's knowledge in various fields but would also open up his mind to new ideas and innovations, and stimulate creativity in thinking.and action.
We need to turn reading into a culture to be practiced by all. How do we do it? I cannot claim to be an expert in developing a formula or in giving solutions to the problem. However, as a layman I look at the following 4-pronged approaches which could be workable:
Parents, particularly those who are educated, should take upon themselves the responsibilities to instill reading habit among their children at young age. They must expose them to reading and develop their interest in books that would expose them to knowledge and improve their vocabulary. Some parents would rather spend money on other personal things than on books for their children but such attitude must change.
Teachers and educationists too should take serious steps to encourage students to inculcate and nurture reading habits among children by developing and upgrading library facilities and investing on good books and reading materials, and technology, including internet. Our education system must move away from focusing on academic books alone, but students must be encouraged to venture beyond text books and lecture notes. They must be motivated and encouraged to make intelligent use of other materials to relate to subjects or course content to have a wholesome approach to education.
Generally speaking books in Malaysia are quite expensive if we were to compare to average income earned by individuals. As a result, not many people would be prepared to spend their money on books because they have other priorities to spend. This does not bade well for those who are really interested in books but could not afford to pay. Therefore if relevant government authorities could examine this problem and perhaps take steps to reduce the costs of books, this would further boost the interest of readers, at same time would promote literary development and encourage the contribution by writers.
The media can play an important role to sow the seeds of interest in reading among audience through their columns and programs. Book reviews could be published by newspapers and commentaries openly discussed and aired on television. Media must make an aggressive move and create an interest among readers not only focusing on the writers and contents but also highlighting the kind of knowledge readers would benefit.
I know that at various government departments too senior ranking civil servants are required to read 2 or 3 books per month to improve their performance and increase productivity. However, it does not mean much if this practice is imposed on them by the higher-ups or authorities. Individuals must be made to be conscious of the need to continue to improve themselves, only then they would develop a liking towards books and adopt reading habit voluntarily.
I believe reading should be turned into a culture if we want to progress. Parents, teachers, educationists, civil servants, and media practitioners certainly have as much responsibilities in fulfilling such a goal.
I am aware that much efforts have been done to encourage reading among Malaysians at all levels of age but this have not been very successful because we choose not to adopt reading as a culture. No doubt we have been able to create a society that is literate but we have not really created a society that is well read. Despite the many campaigns and efforts by various parties at inculcating such habit, much left to be desired.
As we move towards a developed nation status, we cannot afford to take things for granted and hope every thing would materialize by itself. We are moving more into knowledge-based economy wherein there is increasing needs to focus on knowledge as a source to develop our economy. We have no choice but to develop reading into a culture. Reading extensively would not only increase one's knowledge in various fields but would also open up his mind to new ideas and innovations, and stimulate creativity in thinking.and action.
We need to turn reading into a culture to be practiced by all. How do we do it? I cannot claim to be an expert in developing a formula or in giving solutions to the problem. However, as a layman I look at the following 4-pronged approaches which could be workable:
- at home where parents have a role to instill and encourage reading among children at early age
- at schools/tertiary institutions where teachers and educationists should take serious actions to encourage and nurture reading habits
- government agencies to promote reading materials and encourage literary development
- the aggressive role of the media (both print and electronic media) to drive the message to the readers and help publicize book reviews and literary contents in their columns or programs
Parents, particularly those who are educated, should take upon themselves the responsibilities to instill reading habit among their children at young age. They must expose them to reading and develop their interest in books that would expose them to knowledge and improve their vocabulary. Some parents would rather spend money on other personal things than on books for their children but such attitude must change.
Teachers and educationists too should take serious steps to encourage students to inculcate and nurture reading habits among children by developing and upgrading library facilities and investing on good books and reading materials, and technology, including internet. Our education system must move away from focusing on academic books alone, but students must be encouraged to venture beyond text books and lecture notes. They must be motivated and encouraged to make intelligent use of other materials to relate to subjects or course content to have a wholesome approach to education.
Generally speaking books in Malaysia are quite expensive if we were to compare to average income earned by individuals. As a result, not many people would be prepared to spend their money on books because they have other priorities to spend. This does not bade well for those who are really interested in books but could not afford to pay. Therefore if relevant government authorities could examine this problem and perhaps take steps to reduce the costs of books, this would further boost the interest of readers, at same time would promote literary development and encourage the contribution by writers.
The media can play an important role to sow the seeds of interest in reading among audience through their columns and programs. Book reviews could be published by newspapers and commentaries openly discussed and aired on television. Media must make an aggressive move and create an interest among readers not only focusing on the writers and contents but also highlighting the kind of knowledge readers would benefit.
I know that at various government departments too senior ranking civil servants are required to read 2 or 3 books per month to improve their performance and increase productivity. However, it does not mean much if this practice is imposed on them by the higher-ups or authorities. Individuals must be made to be conscious of the need to continue to improve themselves, only then they would develop a liking towards books and adopt reading habit voluntarily.
I believe reading should be turned into a culture if we want to progress. Parents, teachers, educationists, civil servants, and media practitioners certainly have as much responsibilities in fulfilling such a goal.
The Malaysians are more towards criticizing the others rather then acquiring new knowledge. It have to be cultivated from the schools. But in the schools the teachers were not doing their part as teachers. Infect they do many other office works which are not their part. On the other hand the teachers could not be controlled by the head of the department. The heads have the minimal power to control them. Therefor the reading activities in schools were not been give n much important.