UAE- Reaping the rewards of reading challenge: paper
Date
5/26/2016 2:11:26 AM
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI, 26th May, 2016 (WAM) -- The launching of the "Arab Reading Challenge" by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in September last year has set the nation on the reading mode, said a UAE daily.
"This is the largest Arab project to encourage students in the Arab world to read, with more than a million students committing to read 50 million extracurricular books during every academic year," said The Gulf Today in an editorial on Thursday.
What can be better encouragement for the students than a pat from the leadership for their good work! Sheikh Mohammed has now instructed the distribution of thank-you certificates bearing his signature to 50,000 students in the UAE who have successfully completed reading 50 books in the school year as part of the Arab Reading Challenge Project.
This should surely motivate them to achieve more. It is also a matter of pride for the entire nation that over 160,000 students from 828 UAE schools have collectively finished reading 5 million books during this academic year.
Sheikh Mohammed not only signed and distributed the certificates to top 15 achievers, but also personally announced the name of UAE top achiever student Fatimah Al Nuaimi from Ras al-Khaimah.
"The approval of a ten-year national reading strategy backed by AED100 million fund will help push the country towards excellence in all fields," added the daily.
The huge benefit of a reading society is that it embraces civilised values, is flexible and adaptable. Reading instils the values of openness and moderation. Reading and knowledge are undoubtedly the best path to excel and compete.
The paper quoted Sheikh Mohammed as saying, "If the children kept reading 5 million books every year then we should expect a bright and better future for this nation."
"The goal of the leadership is to create a new generation, a new hope and a new reality. Going by the highly encouraging response from young bookworms so far, the country has every reason to smile," concluded the Sharjah-based daily.
WAM/Esraa