The Ministry of Education says it remains committed to improving literacy outcomes among basic school pupils, as national assessments continue to highlight worrying declines in foundational reading skills across the country.

This assurance was renewed at the maiden iREAD Festival held in Accra, an event designed to revive the love of reading and promote a strong literacy culture among schoolchildren. The festival was organised by the iREAD Ghana Foundation in partnership with Baatsonaa Junior High School ‘B’.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Principal Programme Officer Isaac Atta Baah said the ministry is scaling up interventions aimed at strengthening foundational reading across public schools.

“The Education Ministry is highly committed to helping students in Ghana read. Every year, the ministry runs the National Reading Festival as part of efforts to improve literacy. We fully support schools that organise reading festivals like this,” he said.

Held under the theme “Read Today, Lead Tomorrow,” the event featured spelling bees, reading contests, writing competitions, book exhibitions, and motivational sessions to inspire pupils to cultivate lifelong reading habits.

The headmistress of Baatsonaa JHS ‘B’, Akua Serwaa Yankey, appealed for the establishment of a library to support teaching and learning. She noted that the absence of a dedicated reading space makes it difficult for students to consistently access books, an issue many public basic schools face.

Meanwhile, pupils who emerged as winners in the competitions shared their excitement with JoyNews. They encouraged their peers to take up reading and praised the organisers for creating a fun and inspiring learning platform.

Organisers of the iREAD Festival say the initiative is part of a broader effort to nurture confident, curious, and articulate young learners. They are calling for stronger collaboration among schools, communities, and stakeholders to help sustain literacy programmes nationwide.