Reading is a sort of submarine activity with the help of which a person can reach the unfathomable depth of the ocean of knowledge. Thus, reading is considered an important tool to broaden the horizon of a person’s knowledge. We do not know how to learn if we do not know how to read. It is also a trite learning that readers are leaders who contribute enormously to all facets of development in their communities and the nation as a whole.
Ever since the latter half of the twentieth century, not only educationists but also lay people have incessantly complained about the declining standards of education. Most, if not all, have squarely put the blame on our educational institutions for woefully failing to maintain their standards. To buttress their claim, they point to the low percentage of the results of the educational institutions at the public examinations. They also point to the low output in productivity in our public institutions that invariably translates into slow growth of the economy. To this extend therefore, reading to comprehend is an indispensable asset in the struggle for existence and advancement.
It is in view of the aforementioned among several other factors that; The Readers Hub-GH, a reading platform with a pool of experts in all areas of the academia seeks to champion the course of reading broadly to broaden the minds of its members.
The Readers Hub-GH recognizes the fact that knowledge is expanding by leaps and bounds and everyday new knowledge is added to our stock. It either replaces or supplements the existing knowledge. Indeed, it cannot be gainsaid that, most of the things that we read today will become obsolete tomorrow. Therefore, if one wants to keep oneself in constant touch with the latest developments in knowledge, one should cultivate good reading comprehension ability.
Taking it a step further; we argue that one should read not only to keep oneself conversant with the newly emerging knowledge and information but also to check oneself from becoming static and obsolete in the world of knowledge. The importance of reading could not have been said any better than what I came across five (5) years ago by Prof. Henry Smith of the Harvard Law School-University of Harvard and John J. DeBoer, thus:
He who cultivates the habit of reading shall be rich in meanings; but he who does not shall experience diarrhea of words and constipation of thought.
-Prof. Henry Smith
If all the inventions of a hundred years were destroyed and only books were left, man could still be man in the sense intended by idealists, the poets, and the great creators.
John J. DeBoer.
In the circumstances therefore, it is important to emphasize that, we should develop the skill of reading right from the initial stage of formal education and same should be continued throughout all the stages of education and man’s existence on earth.
This notwithstanding, no sincere, systematic and scientific attempt has been made to develop this basic skill of reading at any level of education. After making some efforts in the early years of the primary education, the growth and development of the skill of reading are left at the mercy of nature or to chance. This need not be. In the candid view of The Readers Hub-GH, it is suicidal; it is retrogressive and inherently inimical to the socio-economic development of any nation, especially such as ours.
MISSION STATEMENT: To encourage public reading and become life-long readers contributing immensely through informed and non-partisan discourse of the economic policies of any sitting government.
VISION STATEMENT: To be at the forefront of nationwide movement liaising with the Ghana Library Authority to encourage public reading and to be the hub of analyzing government policies through informed and non-partisan lenses and offering solutions where necessary.
ACTIVITIES OF THE READERS HUB-GH
- Word of the Day: The Readers Hub-Gh learns one word a day on the page and members are encouraged to form sentences with the new word in an interactive manner.
- Book of the Month: The Readers Hub –GH reads one recommended book in a month. Members are encouraged to quote their favorites lines/portions in the book and put it on the page in an interactive manner for others to learn.
- Review of Book of the Month: The Readers Hub-Gh reviews the book of the month and members with in-depth knowledge in Literature are encouraged to help examine the book of the month before another one is selected for the next month.
- Social Convo: The Readers Hub Social Convo session seeks to engage the services of one of its members on weekly basis to share with other members their educational career, the vicissitudes of their life’s journey and how one is able to surmount them in the face of these challenges. This is to help other members to learn from the life experiences of their colleagues-to never give up in life, the challenges, notwithstanding.
- Social Media Monk: The Readers Hub-Gh Social Media Monk session also seeks to engage a resource person on weekly basis on a thematic concern that maybe couched on the economy, politics, law, health, banking and finance, education and or any social phenomenon for a member to exhaustively discuss and come out with possible recommendations. During this session, our members are encouraged to ask questions where there is the need for clarification.
- Poetry Thread: This session gives the unfettered freedom to members to craft beautiful poems of their own on any thematic concern of their choice. Of course, it could be on the economy, health, social issues, law and politics among others. Through this, members perfect their writing skills and learn how to economize the use of words composed in a poem.
- What Do You Know: The Readers Hub –GH What Do You Know session allows members to test their brains on issues around the globe. The questions come from all aspect of literature, yet of relevance to current development trends in the world.
- Facts Wednesday: This session allows a member to provide intriguing facts around the world. This keeps our members updated with a vast pool of knowledge on all aspect of life around the world.
- Health Thursday: The Readers Hub-GH Health Thursday allows a member with profound knowledge on health issues to take members through any health challenge that affects or is likely to affect productivity and our personal well-being. E.g., Stress.
OUR FUTURE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
The Readers Hub-Gh is basically focused on enriching the reading skills of its members and to sharpen their minds through vigorous intellectual discourse on its platform. In the next five years, THE READERS HUB-GH intends to be the most effective and efficient intellectual hub-a pool of experts, that engage the general public on reading. We hold the believe that through reading, the general public is better informed on issues affecting them and are able to better analyze government policies to make informed decisions for the general growth of the nation.
In view of the above, I suggest that the following be done before the year of our Lord 2020 ends.
- Elect an Executive Committee that will spearhead the administrative affairs of the page
- We should try and get The Readers Hub Registered at the Registrar General Department.
- Decide on a monthly contribution fee by every member to help run the page. Besides the monthly contribution which is deemed compulsory on every member, any form of personal contribution is most welcome.
- Print T-shirts for members
- Hold executive meetings at least three (3) times in a every year
- Hold a General Meeting in every calendar year to deliberate on issues affecting the page. This gives the opportunity for members to also get to see and know each other very well through socialization.
- Write proposals to NGOs for support to carry out our mission
- Get our views heard on any topical issue of national interest. Take a non-partisan stance and give recommendations where necessary.
- Collaborate with other Civil Society Organizations to proffer solutions to emerging social problems facing the country.
- Decide on putting up or renting a space as a permanent office for some members to run the administrative tasks of the page.
NB: These suggestions are not final and by no means exhaustive.
Readers Hub!!!
……We read to inform
Happy three Months Anniversary to you all.
Thank you
Hub Editor:
Bassing. A.M.A. KAMAL
