The Ghana Book Development Council (GBDC) has partnered the Ghanaian Centre of PEN International to promote reading and writing among second cycle institutions in the Upper West Region.

The exercise forms part of the effort to promote reading and writing among Senior High School students in the Northern sector of the country i.e. Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Regions.

A team comprising staff of GBDC (led by Daniel Ofosu-Asamoah, the Literacy Promotion Manager) and the Ghanaian Centre of PEN International (led by Mr. Frank Mackay Anim-Appiah, the Executive Director of the Ghanaian Centre of PEN International), are currently visiting some selected schools in the Upper West Region to interact with the students, expose them to the importance of reading and also form Reading Clubs to serve as a platform for honing the reading and writing skills of the students.

Book prizes are given to deserving students or students who excel during question and answer sessions. Not only that, but also, students who excel in poetry recitation and other artistries are rewarded with books.

The team has so far visited 15 schools and has either formed or gone through the laid down procedure to form Reading Clubs in the schools. The Reading Clubs will benefit from workshops, training programmes, competitions and reading materials with the aim of honing the skills of the students in reading and writing.

A section of students of St Francis Girls Senior High School

Some of the schools visited include Wa Senior High school, Wa Islamic Senior High school, T.I. Ahmmadiya Senior High school, WA Senior High Technical school, Kaleo Senior High Technical school, St Francis Girls Senior High school, Jirapa Senior High school, Queen of Peace Senior High school, Lawra, Senior High school, Nandom Senior High school, Kanton Senior High school and Tumu Senior High school.

From Upper West region, the team is expected to go to Upper East Region to continue its work. The team is to visit a number of schools there with the same objective of promoting reading and creative writing which are fundamental to the success of every academic environment.

PEN International is an international organisation that promotes Literature and Freedom of expression, whereas Ghana Book Development Council (GBDC) is an Agency under the Ministry of Education mandated to oversee the development, regulation and effective planning of the Book industry in the country. One of its functions is to promote reading and creative-writing among school children.