The libraries have started impacting reading abilities of children and helping them perform better in other subjects.

Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Isaac Munyakazi, lauded parents and others who played a role in establishing libraries around the country while he was visiting Children’s public library in Muhoza Sector, Musanze District, last week.

“Reading skills are central to understanding other subjects. This is a great initiative that we want all stakeholders to join. When a child reads, gets their mind open and we should go beyond teaching about reading in class to establish such venues where children meet after class to enhance their learning through libraries. Knowledge of their mother-tongue will help our children know foreign languages and other subjects. We would see this initiative promoted in partnership with our sponsors,” he said.

The library located at Restoration Church in Muhoza Sector brings together over 50 children twice a week and read stories supported by many drawings which avoid boredom during reading exercise. Children are first warmed up through singing, then guided in reading and lent books to read from home.

Children attending are mainly aged between seven and nine years studying in the lower level of primary school and few from upper level with limited reading skills of Ikinyarwanda.

The initiative is commended by parents, saying that it has helped their children in many ways. Nyiramajyambere, mother of five-year child, said the library has helped her child acquire reading skills and often reads for the mother who is illiterate.

The library aims at engaging parents and schools in promoting children’s reading skills by giving them enough practice at school, home and elsewhere they can meet.

Minister Munyakazi called for concerted efforts to increase attendance to the library which currently has only 50 children attending twice a week while it has the capacity of hosting 20,000 children.

Reading revived the souls of Musanze's Children

The libraries include Children books