How to build a good reading culture in our homes and schools

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OPINION

By Jackline Turinayo Baganizi

Uganda is blessed with a young and vibrant population. Everywhere you turn, you find children full of energy, curiosity, and potential. One of the greatest gifts we can give this generation is not just access to classrooms, but the love of reading. A strong reading culture opens doors of imagination, strengthens academic performance, and builds lifelong learners. When children fall in love with books, they not only pass exams, they also grow into confident thinkers and future leaders.

Across homes and schools, small steps can make a big difference. Just as families gather around meals, televisions, or games, they can also gather around books. With a little creativity, encouragement, and consistency, reading can become a joyful part of everyday life.

I was reminded of this truth last December when a long-time family friend joined us for Christmas with the extended family. She came carrying her autobiography, a book she had worked on for years. With thoughtfulness, she gifted each family a copy. I had seen the book before, but honestly, I had hesitated to read it. The book was bigger than the small ones I usually like to read, and like many adults, I always found an excuse not to commit time to it.

Then something unexpected happened. My sister-in-law, seeing the book as a gift worth more than just being placed on a shelf, came up with a simple but brilliant idea. She assigned each child a chapter to read. Later in the day, she asked them to explain what they had understood.

What followed amazed me. I had earlier watched the teenagers glued to the TV, chatting on their phones, or engaging in other distractions. But as soon as the reading “assignment” was given, they each took their copy and began to read with seriousness. That evening, after dinner, my sister-in-law called out each child by name. One by one, they shared summaries of their chapters, sometimes stumbling through words, other times speaking with surprising confidence. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, curiosity, and anxiety. For once, books had taken centre stage in our Christmas celebration.

That simple activity did more than just occupy the children. It reminded us adults of the joy and discipline of reading. In fact, I realised that sometimes, even we who encourage children to read may secretly struggle with it ourselves. But with the right environment and encouragement, everyone, young or old, can cultivate a reading culture.

Reading is not just about passing exams or completing schoolwork. It sharpens the mind, stretches the imagination, and opens doors to worlds far beyond our own. A child who reads develops better comprehension skills, becomes more confident in expressing ideas, and is better prepared for lifelong learning. For families, reading builds bonding moments; for schools, it strengthens the foundation of academic success.

Yet, in many Ugandan homes and schools, reading is treated as an obligation rather than a culture. We invest in televisions, smartphones, and other gadgets, but very few households deliberately invest in bookshelves or small home libraries. Schools often have libraries, but many of them are poorly stocked or locked away, gathering dust. It is no wonder that many children grow up seeing reading as a burden rather than a joy.

The first step to building a reading culture is simply to make books available. Just as every home strives to own a television, let every home also own a collection of books. These don’t have to be expensive. Families can start with children’s storybooks, autobiographies, novels, or even magazines. The important thing is to ensure that children grow up seeing books as part of their everyday environment. Schools, too, must ensure that libraries are functional. A library is not a room to lock up, but a living space where children can explore ideas. Every school, no matter how small, should have a librarian or at least a dedicated teacher in charge of library activities.

Families need to create reading moments. The story from my sister-in-law’s Christmas activity proves that children need creative ways to enjoy reading. Families can establish simple practices, such as reading chapters and sharing them during family gatherings, or setting aside evenings where everyone reads silently together. Children can also be encouraged to read aloud to younger siblings, turning reading into an act of love and connection. Reading should be seen as a fun and collective experience.

Encouragement goes a long way. Children respond best when their efforts are recognised. Parents and teachers need to find ways to celebrate progress, such as applauding a child who finishes a book or giving recognition in school to the most consistent reader. Such moments of recognition make children associate reading with pride and achievement.

At the same time, families must learn to limit distractions. Television and smartphones are often the biggest competitors to books. Setting aside specific times when gadgets are switched off and books take over can help balance leisure and learning.

Above all, children imitate what they see. If parents never read, children are unlikely to do so. When adults pick up a book in the evenings instead of reaching for the remote control, children learn silently that reading is important. Teachers, too, must model a reading culture by sharing books they read beyond the syllabus.

The memory of that Christmas remains vivid in my mind, the sight of children huddled with books, and later, their voices retelling what they had read. That evening taught me that building a reading culture is not complicated. It only requires the availability of books, creativity in encouraging reading, and commitment from both families and schools.

baganizijackie@gamil.com