Lukewarm Reading Culture : Several Factors To Blame

Multifaceted inhibiting factors such as lack of interest, digital distractions account for why people do not love reading.

Reading is probably a thing for a few people in the community. It is rare to hear someone talk about reading as a passion.  Information indicates that many people are not passionate about reading. Many people consider reading to be difficult. Or wanting to read can be difficult. There are multiple reasons why people may not read often among which digital distraction (television, telephone), no books at home, lack of libraries or the right books to read.

No Time, Desire, Books At Home
The most common reason, which might seem the most valid, is that majority of parents say they do not have time to read and hence cannot even develop the reading culture in their children. A mother in Yaounde, Laura L. says she is very busy and will definitely need a reason to sit and read. Life, she explains, gets in the way of a lot of things. Each day, she is in-between work, other responsibilities, and household chores. “Some of us are lucky if we have time to sleep, let alone read”, Laura explained. Adding that reading can also take so much time, especially when some books have a thousand pages. “It could take months for some of us. It is easier not to try especially as there is even not enough time to rest from daily chores,” Laura underscored.

Out of five homes Cameroon Tribune (CT) visited, none had a family library, talk less of a reading space, except for those reading for an academic examination. However, in some homes, one could see piles of books kept either in a room or at a corner of the house. When asked what those books are meant for, many replied, “These are papa’s books when he was studying abroad. Upon returning to Cameroon, he shipped them and created this library.” But those books are not used by any household member especially as one mother said none of her children followed in the path of their father’s profession. Some of these books are in a state of dilapidation.

Digital Distractions
Nowadays, most homes are equipped with Wifi and smart TVs. This gives the household time to explore the digital world in all its dimensions, with no time to read. More at times in most homes time is now spent on the TV watching films or on the phone exploring the social media. Many people have problems with phonemic awareness. Some say they are struggling with phonemic awareness; hence reading is going to be like climbing a mountain. Instead of reading a book, households watch movies or follow a series on any TV channel. Relindis Aki says after a long day at work, most people like her will want a simple and easy way to enjoy the rest of the day. And to her, a movie is quicker and more engaging as it includes a gaggle of talented professionals contributing acting, music, stage design, etc. This, to her is not vivid when reading a book, although book fans will often tell you, ‘The book was better’.

School Libraries Striving, But  
From Government Bilingual High School Nkol-Eton to the Government Bilingual Practising High School (LBA) to Lycée Général-Leclerc all in Yaounde, a team of Cameroon Tribune reporters noticed that these schools and many other...

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