A non-profit organization, the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Project (SEHP) has donated stationery and literary materials to five basic schools in the New Juaben South and North Municipalities respectively, or the Eastern Region.

The donation, spearheaded by the wife of the Vice-President, Samira Bawumia, was under the SEHP's flagship program, the “Library in a Box” project.

The schools which benefited from the donation are Effiduase Presbyterian School, Oyoko Methodist School, Police Basic School, Trinity Presbyterian School and Apimpoa Islamic Basic Schools in both New Juaben North and South Municipalities.

They received story books, textbooks, notebooks and exercise books to help cultivate the habit of reading in schoolchildren.

Speaking at the event held in Koforidua, after paying a courtesy call on the New Juaben Omanhene, Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III, she said " I am especially excited because as an advocate for literacy and critical thinking, I believe in encouraging a love for reading amongst people of all ages".

According to her, President Akufo-Addo’s government is focused on its vision of ensuring that quality education becomes accessible to all our children, irrespective of their social or financial circumstances".

She explained that "I believe that cultivating a habit of reading is important and will serve as a springboard for our pupils to excel".

"Through this donation, we want our children to learn to cherish good books, to read as often as possible, and to enjoy reading as a constructive way of spending their time".

To the headteachers, she said "you play the most important role in setting the tone and strategy in your schools. I think we all know that, beyond the role of the English teacher which is to help children learn to love to read, it takes a whole school – everyone from the headteachers through to the pupils".

"There are all sorts of ways you can do this, from allotting reading periods on timetables to getting older pupils to read to younger ones, to inviting community leaders to school assemblies to talk about how important reading has been in their lives and also read to them. It is also important that you form reading clubs in your various schools".

She also encourages the teachers to make the most of these books to ensure that their pupils inculcate a love for reading.

"You also need to ensure the books will be well taken care of to make them last. To you my dear students, you are our future leaders, so I urge you all to read as much as you can. Your success is the success of our dear nation. Always remember these words of Albert Einstein “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”. Indeed, the world belongs to those who read" she added.

The event was graced by the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Micheal Okyere Baafi, among other Regional Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party.