One of the most effective ways to learn is reading. But unfortunately most of us never have time to read. The main reason that we submit are often busy working. We are stuck in a routine and work pressure so that it does not have the opportunity to hone existing potential within us.
Reading habit keep improving biggest asset that we have. This habit can update our physical, mental, spiritual, and social / emotional. By reading we can also improve knowledge in ourselves. Although we have a "limited time", we need to keep our perspective on knowledge. One way is how to improve their reading skills and encourage them love for reading since early. This can be done with the ability how to develop reading effectiveness. The various ways that can be done are:
- · concentration while reading
- · take the main idea or ideas while reading
- · relax while reading
Reading is not popular hobby for common people in Indonesia. It is proved by a recent report has shown Indonesians spend far much time watching television than reading. Many television programs such as sinetron, reality show and others force Indonesians for watching television than reading the book. And the international Reading Literacy Study (IRLS) which measures the developmental progress of children’s reading, ranked Indonesia 36th among 40 countries. This reality shows the people of Indonesia especially the children have a low passion for reading.
Low passion for reading can turn up a serious problem in the future for development of our country. It is caused the low passion for reading usually shows the low passion for learning and growth. In other for developing our country we need many things that can be got by reading the book or other media that contains many information and sciences. The information and sciences will be used for solving the problem of our country to be better than before and getting the improvement.
For preventive actions, we should increase the passion for reading in many ways for example increase the literacy in Indonesia. To attain literacy of the population aged 15 years old and above, clear strategic policy in necessary as basic and direction for program implementation. It covers not only non formal education that provides functional literacy program for adult but also formal education particularly primary schooling to ensure all student acquire literacy and supported by promotion reading behavior. There are four policy strategies to increase literacy rate in this country.
First, increasing literacy rate and preventing illiterate among young population, this is crucial so as to avoid emergence of a new illiterate group. The program implemented include formal and non-formal education such as increasing access to quality primary education especially for the poor and disable children, and preventing children from dropping out particularly primary education through provision of scholarships.
Second, provision of equal access to elementary education for all adults through equivalent education services in the form of “kejar paket A” equivalent to primary education and “kejar paket B” is equivalent to junior secondary education.
Third, widening access and quality of functional literacy education for people age 15 years old and above that will be accomplished by formulating an innovative and specific functional literacy program with an emphasis on the functional aspect for each age group, and it’s giving them added value. For productive age groups, functional literacy program are related to productivity enhancement, for the elderly, literacy education services are given in accordance with their interests and needs.
The last is retaining literacy competence. To retain learners’ literacy competence, it is intended for every village to have community library. Up to know only 5 percent of about 70.000 villages in Indonesia have community libraries. The provision of reading materials must relevant to the learners’ needs and updated. Community library should manage professionally as their function is to educate the users. The community library is established as an educational institution which provides various educational and recreational activities.
After we reach the literacy percentage in high level we should focus on enhancement the passion for reading. To reach this goal we have to analyze many obstacles that exist in our country. The problems are the book in Indonesia is considered to be expensive and non-attainable by most of the populations and lack of place to read.
The problem of the book’s price in Indonesia can we solve in many ways. Book publisher for example, should care less about profit margin and more about spreading the love for reading across the country. The government could in turn provide larger subsidies for educational books sold.
For solving the second problem we should do many actions that provide a quite place to read. For example, initiate the program to provide mobile libraries to serve remote villages across Indonesia. Increase the number of library in Indonesia especially in learning community for helping the students increase their ability.
Generally, we should do many programs for enhancement the passion for reading. For example, national campaigns to encourage reading must be conducted seriously, with a reach that spreads into the pockets of rural living. Involve the participation of parents in Indonesia to enhance the passion for reading. Parents play the most immediate role in planting a love for reading in children. They can for example, make it a priority to spend at least 15 minutes a day reading to their children. This will not only promote early literacy, but also strengthen the bond between parents and children, as well as encouraging healthy brain development.
by Yansu, Joko, Irvan :)
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