Belait - Parental assistance, moral support and involvement in familiarising children with books are responsibilities that should be carried out at the early stages. Therefore, to jointly transform a child to become knowledgeable and intellectual, a reading corner should be setup for a child in the every household.
This was yesterday said by Language and Literature Bureau Acting Director cum chief guest Aminah binte Haji Momin during a ceremony to mark the reading culture movement in conjunction with the Reading Month in the Belait District.
The event was held at the Liang Lumut Recreational Club.
Organised by the Language and Literature Bureau, the event is held to boost the habit of reading and also to provide information on library services in the country.
In her speech, the chief guest said that exposure to a mini-library at home would assist a child in becoming familiar with the surroundings of a library before entering a school.
Parents should hold the role of supporting reading activities by providing exposure and making the effort to bring their children to libraries or bookstores and assisting them in the selection of books appropriate to form a positive mind.
To boost the reading habit and produce a more knowledgeable community, the government in the 8th National Development Plan has constructed more libraries.
From 2005 to 2008, three public libraries have been created in Muara, Kampong Pandan and Lambak Kanan, which are being fully utilised.
Meanwhile, Chairman Haji Sahari bin Haji Nassar in his speech expressed hope that the yearly Reading Month project would serve as a platform to inculcate the reading habit among the community by utilising the library as a point to look for information.
"The habit of reading among communities in Brunei is encouraging, although it competes for time with the advancement of ICT in the globalised era," he added.
The day also saw performances staged by the Mukim Liang Consultative Council and a talk delivered by Dakwah Islamiah Centre Acting Assistant Deputy Director Haji Mohammad bin Garing.
The event concluded with chief guest Aminah binte Haji Momin viewing a book exhibition.
The Reading Culture Movement is part of activities to mark the Reading Month targeting youths between 12 and 20 years of age.
Various activities have been lined up at several public libraries throughout the country since the launching of the Reading Month on June 4, and it is expected to conclude at the end of June. (By Liza Mohd)
Source: www.brunei-online.com (June 10, 2008)
