Khammam

For the past two weeks, children of primary classes at government schools here have been enjoying an hour of learning English reading thanks to District Collector Anudeep Durishetty who launched an innovative programme, ‘Every Child Reads,’ to strengthen English reading skills of government students across the district.

The programme, which began on October 27, is being implemented for one hour every day from 3 pm to 4 pm. Designed as a ‘Basic English Phonetics’ initiative, it focuses on helping students learn the sounds of individual English letters and apply them to read simple words.

Durishetty said that specially prepared study material is being used to make reading easier for students. “Each day involves an activity for both the teacher and the student. Teachers tell stories using words taught during a session, enabling students to gradually read and comprehend the stories themselves,” he explained.

He urged teachers to dedicate efforts throughout the month-long programme to ensure all primary students develop basic reading proficiency.

“Reading is the foundation of learning. Once children can read and understand what they read, it transforms their confidence and learning ability,” he said.

Another interesting feature of the initiative is its tech-savvy approach. To monitor the progress of students, an app has been developed and integrated with the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE). Teachers are required to update the reading skill levels of students every Wednesday, eliminating the need for separate data entry.Durishetty added that the goal is for every student to be able to read and comprehend at least one paragraph independently by the end of the programme.

“Acquiring English reading skills will benefit students throughout their lives and help them pronounce and understand words better. As learning standards rise, so will the prospects of our students,” the Collector said.