Kinshasa: A structure sets up a club to introduce children to the culture of reading

Keeping children engaged in educational activities and instilling a love of reading from an early age are the goals of the reading culture initiation club launched on Saturday, April 15, 2023, by the Center for Educational Support and Remediation (CERE). This club, which specifically targets children with autism as well as elementary school students from first through eighth grade, focuses heavily on reading techniques, posture, articulation, diction, and managing fear.   According to Ms. Mado Mbiya, Coordinator of this program, the goal is to expand this initiative across the country’s various provinces to help children develop a habit of reading. “We want our children to develop a culture of reading because this seems to be neglected. The goal is for reading to become a way of life for them. It will be held every month, because we need to organize ourselves to provide the best possible conditions for the children… As for the techniques, sometimes we use texts they are used to reading at school, emphasizing proper punctuation, posture, and articulation,” she explained. Exaucée Mbiya Mujinga, one of the instructors, noted that the club comprises two groups of children based on their skill levels. According to her, the plan is to establish a children’s library in the coming days. “There are those who are still very young and have not yet mastered reading fluently. For this group of children, we have focused on picture-based reading, word formation, and many other preliminary reading skills. For the older children, we have placed greater emphasis on punctuation and articulation,” she said. Regarding the selection criteria for mentors, the CERE Coordination reports that they are primarily educators who will subsequently undergo training organized by the center before taking a test. She also assured that participation in this club is free. Just like sports, for example, reading brings joy, helps us forget daily problems, and relieves stress. Reading helps develop memory and cognitive abilities. When done regularly, reading facilitates language acquisition and allows children to develop their listening and concentration skills. Ouriel Mangitukwa