KCCA ED PROMOTES LITERACY SKILLS WITH DEAR DAY CAMPAIGN

Children are made readers on the laps of their parents. —Emilie Buchwald

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, has taken the lead in efforts to improve learners' literacy skills by promoting a DEAR Day (Drop Everything and Read) campaign.

Kisaka demonstrated her commitment to the cause by holding a reading session at Kamwokya Primary School on Thursday.

DEAR Day is a literacy initiative that encourages learners to take a break from their routine activities and engage in reading for a certain period. The program is aimed at promoting a reading culture among young people and improving their literacy skills.

During the reading session, Kisaka read to the learners and interacted with them on the importance of reading.

At Kamwokya, Kisaka read the book titled "Kaheru the Orphan" by Evangeline L. Barongo, a story that captivated the learners' attention.

She emphasized the need for learners to develop a reading culture that will enable them to acquire knowledge and enhance their critical thinking skills.

"I believe that reading is a fundamental skill that every learner must acquire, and the DEAR Day initiative is a great way to promote reading culture among learners. We want to ensure that every child can read and write effectively," said Kisaka.

The KCCA Executive Director also encouraged parents and teachers to support the DEAR Day initiative by creating time for learners to read, providing reading materials and creating conducive reading environments.

"I am happy to see the enthusiasm among learners for DEAR Day. We are committed to providing the necessary resources to promote literacy and ensure that every child can read and write," she added.

She commended the teachers for their excellent job in equipping the children with effective reading skills, and blessed the learners.

“The children look so brilliant, they read so well, and you must have invested a lot of time. Thank you for investing in these children and laying a strong foundation for their future success,” Kisaka said.

Kisaka thanked the head teacher, teachers and learners for maintaining the school in a clean environment

Kisaka visited several classrooms where the students read stories for her, including "The Pot Calling the Kettle Black" read by Maurice Bagire P7 and "God Created Me" read by Zamukunda Faith P7.

The learners at Kamwokya Primary School expressed their gratitude to Kisaka for her commitment to improving their literacy skills.

They also pledged to embrace the DEAR Day initiative and make reading a part of their daily routine.

The headmaster of Kamwokya Primary School, Francis Katabira, expressed his appreciation for the visit and the support of the DEAR Week celebrations.

He emphasized the need for schools to promote a reading culture and make libraries accessible to all learners.

The KCCA's DEAR Day campaign is part of the authority's efforts to improve the quality of education in the city. With the support of parents, teachers and stakeholders, the initiative is expected to have a significant impact on learners' literacy skills and promote a reading culture in the city.

The Directorate of Education and Social Services spearheaded the Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) Week commemoration in communities and schools, and involved all the Directorate leaders at the Authority. The DEAR week is expected to be an annual event.

The theme for this year's event is "Reading as a way of life," and it aims to encourage a reading culture and the importance of libraries in driving literacy development.

The DEAR Week celebrations have highlighted the critical role of literacy development and the importance of reading in city schools.

The event has underscored the need for stakeholders to invest in education and make libraries accessible to all learners. The success of the event is a testament to the collective effort of teachers, learners, and the community to promote a reading culture and make literacy development a priority.