Read to broaden minds

THIS year heralds the start of our National Reading Decade 2021-2030 programme with the aim of turning Malaysia into a reading nation by 2030. Its long haul target is 25% of active readership among Malaysians. But in the face of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the National Reading Decade may need to be remodelled and repackaged to encourage reading.

We are told by teachers that reading increases our knowledge and to make better use of our free time. But as it turns out, students read to pass exams and undergraduates to accumulate their cumulative grade point average. Once they graduate, most only read topics related to their profession to increase their expertise.