READ CO organizes “One Million Books for Reading” event in Fitche

 Students have presented short plays and recited poems at the event.

 On March 26 2018, Save the Children held a one-day book event in Fitche town of North Shewa zone under a motto “One Million Books for Reading.” Organized by READ CO, the USAID funded and Save the Children implemented project, the book event aimed to promote reading in schools and introduce supplementary reading titles made available by the project in 870 primary schools across Oromia.

On the occasion, Kemal Hossain, READ CO’s Chief Party, emphasized the need for parents and teachers to encourage school children to engage in reading, a skill he also regarded very helpful for students to be able to write well. The many titles READ CO has distributed in the schools, Kemal noted are for teachers to “take out from inside the cabinet and help children to read them.”

Honoring Tadesse Biru, a local hero who he said struggled for his people to have access to education back in the day, Head of Oromia’s North Shewa Zone, Alemayehu Ejigu, called on teachers and the local community to support their children’s reading activities. In his key note address, Jemal Mufit from the Oromia Regional Education Bureau appreciated READ CO’s much needed support to equip schools with supplementary books which he said are a “golden asset to help schoolchildren improve their writing and writing schools.” He noted “readers are often good leaders.”

Closing the event, Frehiwot Wubishet, Program Specialist for USAID, said the project is supporting over 2000 schools in Ethiopia and urged schools in North Shewa zone to engage model practices of reading among school children.

The newly published supplementary books were displayed in Fitche Kutir 2 Primary School, where the event took place and students presented short dramas and poems. Children in different grade who are received book awards as best readers.