This summer, over 12,000 children who participated in ‘Skola Sajf’ took part in the ‘Aqra fis-Sajf’ campaign. This involved children in weekly ‘Reading for Fun’ sessions in Maltese and English. Many children and parents were involved also in the Read with Me, Magic of Stories and Reading Ambassadors programmes.
The summer reading programme came to an end on the 3rd September. A reading celebration was held in Bisazza Street in Sliema.
Fun activities were held for summer school children by Reading Ambassadors.
Minister for Education Evarist Bartolo emphasised that: “reading should take place in all seasons and not just in summer. We need to get children into the habit of reading from an early age so that they will continue reading throughout their whole life.” Minister Bartolo distributed book gifts to a number of children who participated in the Minister’s Challenge and who read at least five books throughout summer.
The summer reading campaign was organised by the National Literacy Agency in collaboration with the Foundation for Educational Services, the Malta Libraries, the National Book Council and the Directorates of Education of the Ministry for Education and Employment. The sponsors were Agenda Book shop, Book Distributers Limited, Merlin Publishers, Merlin Book shop, Klabb Kotba Maltin, Faraxa Publishers, the Plaza Shopping Centre, Ta' Karla Cash and Carry and the Sliema Local Council.
International Literacy Day falls on 8 September. The European Literacy Policy Network (ELINET), of which Malta is an active member, will celebrate this day all over Europe.