MUGABE R
Sixty people, including students, parents, teachers, and members of school management committees, have been inspired to promote reading and listening skills within their communities.
The participants attended a one-day training workshop held on February 28, 2026, at Nyarushanje Model Primary School in Nyarushanje Sub-county, Rukungiri District. The workshop was organized by Peerlink Initiative, a non-governmental organization implementing the Library Hour program in public primary schools across Uganda.
Peerlink Initiative has established 12 public libraries in 12 parishes of Nyarushanje Sub-county, enabling community members to access reading materials free of charge.
The Director of Peerlink Initiative Uganda, Ms. Olivia Mugabirwe, said the training aimed to create awareness about the Friday Library Hour policy, which she noted has been neglected in some schools. She emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between parents and teachers to nurture a culture of reading among learners and the wider community.
She highlighted the many benefits of reading, including stress reduction, exposure to new ideas and the wider world, entertainment, improved self-esteem, vocabulary development, and better academic performance. She urged education stakeholders to prioritize the library hour on school timetables.
The head teacher of Nyarushanje Model Primary School, Mateeka Paul, commended Peerlink Initiative for empowering teachers and communities with reading skills. He called on fellow teachers to focus on strengthening learners’ reading abilities to improve their academic outcomes.
Godwin Ainembabazi, the head teacher of Kabuga Primary School, welcomed the training and pledged to increase the availability of reading materials at his school for the benefit of learners.
Retired teacher Miriam Bajungu expressed concern over the current approach to teaching, saying it tends to focus heavily on early-grade performance without adequately building learners’ capacity for independent reading and self-reliance.
Meanwhile, a parent, Kasigazi Vincent, praised the workshop for promoting unity between parents and teachers in supporting children’s reading. He also noted that reading is beneficial not only to learners but also to older members of the community.
The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment from participants to promote a strong reading culture in schools and communities across Nyarushanje Sub-county.
