Salina (second right) hands over the Reading Seeds kit to Dr Veronica, witnessed by Suria (second left) and organising committee members.
MIRI: Some 150 newborns in northern Sarawak and their parents are to benefit from a new reading programme called ‘Reading Seeds’ which will start next month.
The programme is a joint project by Pustaka Miri, Miri Resident’s Office and Miri Division Health Office.
Pustaka Miri public relations officer Suria Sonia Ahip Abdullah said the programme is to promote early literacy in a child’s life, with parents playing an important supporting role in efforts to develop a reading culture in the family.
“The programme seeks to promote reading culture by getting parents to read to their newborns and also infants, thus increasing intimacy between them.
“We will start the programme in March for at least 150 newborn babies and their mothers in Bintulu, Miri and Limbang divisions,” she said when contacted yesterday.
According to Suria, the Miri Health Office will supply the names of participants, who will be supplied with reading materials and various charts.
At the sixth month of the programme, she said an evaluation will be carried out and if necessary, more materials will be supplied.
Meanwhile, in a press statement issued earlier, Suria said Reading Seeds is a continuation of the Born to Read programme which has been organised by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak since 2004.
She said the newly rebranded reading programme was the outcome of successful discussion between Pustaka Miri regional manager Salina Zawawi, Miri Deputy Resident Nyurak Keti and Miri Health Officer Dr Veronica Lugah.
“The more children read, the more things they will know and the more confidence they will gain.
When children develop the passion for reading from young, they become more motivated to continue reading and learning as they grow,” she added.
For more information on the programme, contact the library at 085-422525 or email Lilian Baun Pulo ([email protected]).