Brief Remarks by MOS Janil at Reading Excellence Awards 2017

Recognising reading excellence

  • I am happy to be here this afternoon amongst many ‘bookworms’.
  • I congratulate NLB and MOE on the successful collaboration of the Reading Excellence Awards.
  • The Awards ride on the positive response of our current school’s outreach programme, Read@School, to further recognise our primary and secondary schools for their good reading programmes.
  • The Awards reflects NLB’s and MOE’s dedication to reading excellence, and commitment to strengthen the reading culture in our schools.
  • We hope that the Awards can help (i) set the benchmark for best reading practices in schools, (ii) encourage schools to promote reading actively, and (iii) identify these best practices for learning amongst schools.
  • Our schools today have done well cultivating the love for reading, but we believe that we could do more to spread the joy of reading to more students and schools.
  • Therefore, we are launching a publication today that has documented the best reading practices in schools. We encourage other schools to learn from the practices in this book, adapt and develop their own school-wide reading programmes.
  • MOE will support efforts to promote reading through inter-school, inter-cluster and zonal platforms, such as the Centres of Excellence for English, for schools to share and learn innovative reading practices.
  • Ultimately, we aim to strengthen and build up a vibrant reading culture in our schools, in support of our National Reading Movement.

Supporting our National Reading Movement

  • Since our launch of the National Reading Movement last year, we have seen very encouraging responses from various segments of the population, which included our schools.
  • But we want to do more to expand the reach of our National Reading Movement through stronger community support and partnerships.
  • I would like to encourage our teachers and students to go beyond the scope of the Read@School programme, and double up as ‘reading ambassadors’ amongst your peers, family and community.
  • You can be a ‘reading ambassador’ and live up to the motto of our National Reading Movement by encouraging your friends and family to:
    • Read more by setting aside some time to read regularly
    • Read widely by going beyond the usual genres and reading in mother tongue languages; and
    • Read together with family and friends
  • Collectively, I believe that we can influence and cultivate a nation of readers, and promote a society that embraces and advocates life-long learning.

Thank you, and my heartiest congratulations to all the winners of the Reading Excellence Awards.