A lot of emphasis is given to reading in schools but after a certain age, the importance of reading is neglected. Should non-academic reading be promoted among people of all ages?
Yes, it should definitely be promoted among people of all ages. In this day and time, after a certain age, children tend to focus more on academics, which is more like a phase of their school life and parents along with their teachers promote this as well. Non-academic reading improves the sense of creativity in a child and also helps them think out of the box rather than just for the grades. The mind is more open and receptive when it comes to reading for non-academic purposes. Personally, I have been a victim of the same where the reading habit got completely knocked out of me and reading happens only during travels now. No one is to be blamed for this as my school and parents were quite supportive but again the stress and tension about grades, which at that point of time we all thought would decide our lives further, and I know people who still manage to grab a book and get completely engrossed in it even after going through all this.
Schools and parents should promote both academic and non-academic reading at all stages and should not be the reason for children to stop reading. I feel that there is nothing better than being able to indulge yourself in a good book - a completely different world of good authors who let your imagination flow.
- The reader is based in Abudhabi
