For many years, schools have struggled to get their students to develop a love for books. Teachers have always had jars of lollies to hand out to enthusiastic readers. Now, one Wellington school is going a step further. Rongotai College has developed a reward system to get it students to read. The school is doling out prizes like fizzy drinks, food vouchers, movie tickets and cellphone top-up cards to students who dig out their library cards and do some bedtime reading. But have we really reached a point where teenagers need to be bribed to read? Or is this “reward scheme” no different to other incentives to get students interested in their studies? Jehan Casinader is a Wellington-based journalist and youth affairs commentator.
Tags: jehan casinader, reading, youth affairs
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