By Veronica Dariya
Berries World Montessori School, Bwari, Abuja, has taken a creative step to ignite a passion for reading among its pupils by organizing a five-day reading marathon aimed at instilling a strong reading culture in young learners.
The competition, which ran from Monday to Friday, challenged students to read as many books as possible from the school library, while also demonstrating comprehension and retention skills.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the proprietor of the school, Ms. Roseline Yuhe, said the initiative was borne out of her observation that many children struggle with purposeful reading unless they develop a genuine interest in it.
“I wanted to find a way to encourage children to read beyond just schoolwork. Many of them don’t read unless they are interested, so I thought of making reading fun through competition,” she explained.
Yuhe highlighted that the marathon was not just about speed but also about comprehension and analysis. Participants were required to summarize their readings, explain key points, and answer challenging questions to advance to the next stage.
“We didn’t just want them to read quickly. Each student had to summarize their books, define new words, and answer questions based on specific chapters or quotes,” she said.
The competition included students from Kindergarten to Junior Secondary School (JSS) and was scheduled daily at noon after regular class activities.
At the end of the contest, Samuel Benedict, a JSS 3 student, emerged the overall winner, having read and summarized seven books in five days. He received a ₦10,000 cash prize for his efforts.
The 13-year-old winner shared his excitement, saying his motivation was driven by the desire to learn new things and expand his knowledge.
“I have learned that every book holds valuable wisdom. Winning was great, but for me, the real prize is the knowledge I gained,” he said.
Ms. Yuhe urged parents to support their children’s reading habits by creating home libraries and limiting screen time.
“Reading improves vocabulary, attention span, and academic performance. Parents should invest in books for their children to help them grow intellectually,” she advised.
The reading marathon was widely regarded as a success, with all participants gaining valuable lessons in reading comprehension, discipline, and knowledge retention—essential skills for academic and personal growth.
