Sunday 01 February 2015

The British Council with supported grants from The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) has launched Kids Read’ on 31 January 2015 at 1100am at Naziria Naymia Mamudia Madrasha, BSCIC Industrial Area, P.S.-Chandgaon, Chittagong. 

Kids Read’ is an award-winning scheme developed to help children enjoy reading across the Middle East North Africa region as teachers and parents often struggle to find ways to motivate children to read. Bangladesh is one of eight countries in Asia that we would support the Ministry of Education’s current work in English language and literacy development

Kids Read’, developed by The British Council, and supported by grants from The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), will bring many different aspects to the children, teachers, school administration staff and parents in Bangladesh through school events, community events and competitions.

Kids Read’ will provide the opportunity to develop capacity in six government schools (primary section) as part of the pilot year. The schools, for primary-aged pupils (grades 1 - 6) nominated by British Council and HSBC and approved by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, will receive approximately 80 English language story books that will have accompanying English language lesson plans and materials, teacher training workshops, student self-access resources and competitions.   

Mr Md Nazrul Islam Khan Secretary, Ministry of Education, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was the Chief Guest. Who will be accompanied by the Bangladesh HSBC CEO, Francois de Maricourt and Barbara Wickham, Country Director and Andrew Jones, Senior Training Consultant, British Council Bangladesh was present at the launching ceremony and Alec Williams, famous storyteller shared a story telling session with the children.

Reading opens up a world of opportunities for children, exposing them to other cultures, attitudes and issues, such as the environment. Research shows that good reading habits, established early, improve later performance in a range of life skills as well as developing language and critical thinking skills. However, teachers and parents often struggle to find ways to motivate children to read and this is especially the case when dealing with reading in a foreign language like English. Through this project: 

•  Primary schools transform their awareness of the value of children’s reading in English across all age-groups.

•  Reading skills and literacy behaviour are developed with the children. In addition the children have increased awareness of world issues, e.g. the environment and the value of money.

•  The children have access to the very best UK children’s books in their schools and homes.

•  Parents better understand the benefits of reading and are better able to help their children read at home. 

Notes to Editor

For further information please contact Head of Marketing and Communications, Arshia Aziz, email: Arshia.Aziz@bd.britishcouncil.org                                               

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide.

 We work in more than 100 countries and our 8,000 staff – including 2,000 teachers – work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year by teaching English, sharing the arts and delivering education and society programmes.

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