Editorial
Encourage love of reading in children
Reading preferences are changing, particularly among youth as there is a rising trend to consume information fast through digital means, which can lessen the time spent on traditional kinds of reading.
As a result of the growth of digital platforms, reading habits among children have become shallower with a focus on keyword scanning rather than in-depth comprehension.
Children are mostly using phones and tablets to watch videos instead of reading books, and if we do not adapt to the trends, we will lose our young readers.
In the past, schoolchildren would frequently visit the library to borrow books to read, and they would compete to read story books. Today, however, very few people read story books.
Since videos offer a quicker, easier, and more visually engaging way to ingest information and entertainment, the majority of children choose to watch them.
Although videos are a fast and effective way to convey information, particularly when time is of the essence, reading fosters creativity and the brain’s capacity for active information processing.
Of course, there are many mental, emotional, and intellectual benefits to developing a reading habit, such as expanded vocabulary and knowledge, better concentration and critical thinking therefore fostering a strong reading culture from an early age is important.
In reality, the low reading culture is being negatively impacted by the publishing sector, yet a successful book industry can be established.
In order to effectively encourage pupils to develop reading as a regular habit, The Spectator advises them to set reasonable daily reading objectives for themselves. They should be encouraged by both parents and teachers to read since it is an important way to acquire both general and specialised knowledge.
Reading aloud every day and encouraging a love of books are two ways to teach reading to children at a young age and make it engaging and enjoyable.
Giving children story books as birthday presents and asking them questions after they have finished reading them is one approach for parents to encourage a love of reading in their children.
It will help them to focus longer, engage more deeply intellectually, and develop critical thinking skills as a result.
Additionally, parents should take their children to book exhibitions and buy them books that will help them grasp and envision scenes because books provide a better comprehension of characters’ ideas and feelings.
Even though the reading culture and library visits have declined in modern times children should be encouraged to join libraries and subscribe to one or two books making sure that they select books that correspond with their interests and increase involvement and enjoyment.
We encourage stakeholders to collaborate in order to cultivate children’s passion for reading.
Editorial
Parents urged to take responsibility for sex education
Dr. Francis Wuobar, a Gynaecologist at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua has urged parents to take the lead in providing sex education to their children, stressing that they were in the best position to guide them through the changes of adolescence.
According to him, sex education remained a taboo subject in most Ghanaian homes, a culture that must change to prevent children from seeking misleading information elsewhere.
“With the evolving nature of society and technological advancements, today’s children will either learn about sex on the internet or from their peers, who may offer wrong advice,” he cautioned.
Dr. Wuobar noted that the health system and society often concentrate on the reproductive stage of life, neglecting the adolescent and menopausal phases.
“When a woman reaches the reproductive period and gets pregnant, everyone rallies around her. But before that stage, during adolescence, there is little attention and guidance, which has contributed to the rising cases of teenage pregnancy,” he explained.
He observed that many adolescents lack access to counseling and adolescent clinics, creating a vacuum that forces them to explore on their own.
“The answers they seek, adults and parents are not willing to provide. Their peers, who are equally uninformed, become their only source of advice. This exploration is one of the major contributors to teenage pregnancy,” he said.
Dr. Wuobar therefore called on parents to create open and confidential spaces for discussion, where children can freely ask questions about sex, puberty, and relationships.
He emphasized that parents must help adolescents understand the consequences of unprotected sex, the changes they go through, and what choices were right or wrong.
“Today’s generation is curious and asks questions, unlike in the past when children were silent. Parents should not rebuke them but rather engage them seriously and guide them through this turbulent stage,” he advised.
He further appealed to the health sector to establish more adolescent clinics across the country to give young people safe spaces to seek information and counseling.
That, he said, would help reduce the high incidence of teenage pregnancy and support adolescents in making informed decisions about their sexual health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
Editorial
Addressing unhealthy conditions at Akropong Mandela Market
Dear Editor,
The Akropong Mandela Market, a vibrant centre of commerce, has been in a terrible state for over a decade now.
Central to the problem is a public toilet located near the market, which has become a breeding ground for diseases and a source of discomfort for both food vendors and customers.
This toilet, utilised by everyone in the town, is positioned too close to the market, severely affecting the vendors who spend long hours selling their goods.
They are constantly exposed to unsanitary conditions mixed with foul odours emanating from the facility.
Agnes, a vendor at the market is sad about the apparent lack of concern from those responsible for maintaining the toilet. Despite collecting user fees, there seems to be little effort to keep the facility clean and hygienic.
The situation at the Akropong Mandela Market highlights the urgent need for effective waste management and sanitation infrastructure in public spaces.
Authorities must take immediate action to ensure the facility is regularly maintained and cleaned. Vendors and customers deserve a safe and healthy environment to conduct their daily activities.
In the meantime, the vendors are urging local government officials to intervene and find a lasting solution to this problem.
Only through collective action can the health and well-being of both vendors and customers be safeguarded to restore the Akropong Mandela Market to its former glory as a thriving commercial hub.
Addo Sarah Ansah Student,
UNIMAC–IJ(BACS26275)
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