READERSHIP AS A TOOL IN FOSTERING EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Reading is very vital to progress and development of human life. It's important in the educational development of children, adolescents and youths are immeasurable. Not only do good reading skills benefit students academically, they are also needed for lifelong learning. Reading enhances vocabulary, increases attention span and promotes stronger analytical thinking. But in the past years the emergence of technology and the rise in social mnedia has made reading culture decline drastically. Nigerian youths spend hours watching television surfing the net, chat friends, play games and facebooking at the detriment of reading.Readership is said to be low in schools, colleges and universities as a result of products of technology. This study aimed at revealing why youths readership culture has declined to include, proliferation of electronic media, for example social media like facebook, whatsApp etcetera, watching television, poor state of libraries, high cost of books, among others. The paper also highlighted probable solutions to revive readership culture for educational development such as establishment and equipping library and information centers, provision of fund for establishment, equipping and maintenance of the library, formation of book readers' club, provision and access to books, exhibition and visitation to other libraries among others