Page 230 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

headquarters simultaneously too where the Assistant Commissioners
administered oath to those elected.

REVIVAL/PROMOTION OF BOOK READING HABITS

It is admitted at all hands that the book reading culture is on its way out
from our society, in general, and children, in particular. Children today are
more interested in making use of, and enjoy, electronic gadgets such as
computers, mobiles, video games and the like. As a result, they are not
getting benefitted from the useful knowledge available in hard form. There
are thus genuine fears that the disconnect from book reading might also
disconnect them from their history. Furthermore, children are deprived of
learning those social, moral and religious values which one used to learn
once from the books. True that they are exposed to wealth of knowledge
available on the internet but knowledge so acquired can at best be declared
vast but not deep. Finally, as they say, the printed word leaves a longer
lasting impact than a word communicated electronically. If this challenge of
dying book reading culture is not addressed in earnest, no wonder it would
be lost once and for all from amongst our younger generation, it is feared.
The District Administration and the District Education Authority decided to
take this challenge head-on too. After much deliberation, it was agreed that
an intervention for the purpose would be made at the level of class VI in
public schools as the students at this stage were mature enough to do the
reading on their own, on one hand and on the other, were still in the age
where their habits were being formed. The intervention entailed exposing the
students to book reading compulsorily for a period of one year at the end of
which, it was expected, that a good percentage would have developed the
habit of book reading and continue it for the rest of their lives. Main features
of the project were as under:

1. The project was led by the Urdu teachers in public schools.
2. Quality and traditional magazines such as Taleem-o-Tarbiat,
Naunehal etc. were used for the purpose. There were multifarious
reasons to give preference to a magazine over a book some of which
were as follows:
 A magazine was usually more illustrative, colourful and
attractive than a book.
 The diversity of contents catered for all moods and
preferences. One could read a story, a poem, a joke, an
anecdote or any other such item depending upon one’s mood
and the available time.
 The length of individual contents happened to be such that
one could easily read them in one sitting.
 Character building was one of the objectives/integral
components of the afore-mentioned reputed magazines since
generations.

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