Creating a culture of reading
UNIVERSITY students should be agents of change, take the lead and encourage society to read more.
This is Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s message to all varsity students in order to create an educated and civilised society.
He recently launched the Read@Uni programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in conjunction with the National Reading Decade.
The programme is part of efforts to create a society that likes to read and with world-class knowledge.
He said that the onus to spread the love of books does not just fall on the students but on the universities as well.
“I also hope that the libraries in Malaysian higher learning institutions not only target the Read @ Uni programmne to university students but should also go down to the community,” he added.
Dr Maszlee said that universities should conduct more discussions and debates based on books that require a high level of thinking.
“(Universities should) create a vibrant reading environment.
“A developed nation cannot be formed if it doesn’t have a young generation that is (morally) balanced, mature and highly knowledgeable,” he added.
These attributes can only be formed through reading materials that require a high level of thinking.
Dr Maszlee said he hopes to see Malaysians spending more than 10 hours a week reading.
He added that according to the World Culture Index 2017, Malaysia ranks among the countries that spend less than five hours a week reading.
During the launch, UiTM vice-chancellor Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Hassan Said said libraries are the main drivers to intensify efforts to create a reading culture among Malaysians by 2030.
“Libraries should play a role in promoting and implementing campaigns from time to time to ensure the reading culture will always be a close friend of university students,” he added.
“Besides encouraging lifelong learning and a love of learning, especially among university students, such initiatives can create a society rich in knowledge and knowledgeable in various fields.”
Higher Education Department director-general Datin Paduka Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir was also present. — By REBECCA RAJAENDRAM
Source: TheStar